[Transcript of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" episode Choices at buffyology.com.]
FAITH sits at the Mayor's desk with her eyes closed. A present is laying on the desk in front of her. MAYOR RICHARD WILKINS stands before her, waiting expectantly.
All right, you can open them up now.
Faith sees the present and smiles up at him.
Fab. What's the occasion?
Faith! As if I need a reason to show you my affection... or appreciation for running a small errand at the airport.
Airport? What's next? Gonna want me to help a buddy of yours move a sofa?
This isn't a free ride, young lady. You know, I'm beginning to think that somebody's getting a little spoiled. Maybe I should take this back.
She clutches her present.
Sorry... sir.
That's my girl. Another cookie? Now. A package is arriving tomorrow night from Central America. Something-- and I can't stress this enough-- something crucially important to my Ascension. Without it... well! What would Toll House cookies be without the chocolate chips? A pretty darn big disappointment, I can tell you. Open your present.
Faith does as she's told and removes a wicked-looking 8-inch knife from the box. The blade is intricately carved and lethally sharp.
There. That look on your face is my reward.
This is a thing of beauty, boss.
Well, it cost a pretty penny so you just take good care of it. And you be careful not to put somebody's eye out with that thing... until I tell you to.
Any particular eyes in mind?
ANGEL and BUFFY fight a pair of vampires. Buffy trips her opponent and he falls against Angel.
Sorry, honey!
That's okay.
They finish off both vampires in short order, both creatures ending up as a light coating of dust on the cemetery lawn.
Well, there's something you don't see every day. Unless, of course, you're me.
That was bracing. Want to do another sweep?
It's what I live for. Sad to say.
You too tired?
No. It's just... do you get the feeling that we're kind of in a rut?
A rut?
You never take me anyplace new.
What about that fire demon nest in the cave by the beach? I felt that was a nice change of pace.
So this is our future? This is how we're going to spend our nights when I'm fifty and you're... the same age you are now.
A menacing growl comes from a copse of nearby trees.
Let's just get you to fifty.
Liking that plan.
Opening credit sequence.
Buffy sits at the kitchen table, flipping through a book. JOYCE enters from the hall.
Buffy? When were you going to tell me?
All right, busted. I didn't think you'd miss them.
She takes off her mother's earrings.
You were accepted to Northwestern University. Honey, I'm so proud of you! That's wonderful!
Buffy is less than enthusiastic.
Right! It's wonderful.
I mean, it's not cheap but I know we can make it work if your father pitches in. Not that Northwestern is your only option. It's a great school, though. I am so proud of you.
You said that before.
And will again soon.
Mom, you know that I can't... I just can't decide on a school right now. I mean, I want to sleep on it, you know, mull it over. Raise them up my inner flagpole, see which one I salute.
I know, sweetheart. I'm just so pleased that you have so many choices. Oh, you know what? Your aunt Arleen and her family are in Illinois. I've got to call and tell them. Oh, Buffy?
I know, you're proud of me.
Joyce picks up the phone and dials.
Don't forget to put my earrings back in my dresser before you go out. (into phone) Arleen? Hi! It's Joyce. How are you doing? Listen, you are never going to believe where Buffy got accepted to school!
Two students sit down at a table to eat their sack lunches. One of them hands another a candy bar.
Here you go.
Thanks.
PRINCIPAL SNYDER seems to appear from out of nowhere.
Okay, what's in the bag?
My lunch.
Is that the new drug lingo?
He snatches the bag and looks inside.
No, it's my lunch.
Sit up straight.
Snyder drops the bag on the table and walks off with a sneer. Pan past Snyder to a nearby table where WILLOW and OZ sit opposite Buffy.
Sounds like your mom's in a state of denial.
More like a continent. She just has to realize that I can't go away.
Well, maybe not now, but soon, maybe. Or maybe I too hail from Denial Land.
Faith's turn to the Dark Side of the Force pretty much put the proverbial kibosh on any away plans for me. UC Sunnydale-- at least I got in. You! I mean I can't believe you got into Oxford!
It's pretty exciting.
That's some deep academia there.
That's where they make Gileses.
I know! I could learn and have scones. Although I don't know how I feel about going to school in a foreign country.
XANDER sits at a nearby tree reading Jack Kerouac's On the Road.
Everything in life is foreign territory. Kerouac. He's my teacher. The open road is my school.
Making the open dumpster your cafeteria?
Go ahead, mock me.
I think she just did.
We Bohemian anti-establishment types have always been persecuted.
Well, sure. You're all so weird.
I think it's neat, you doing the backpack, trail mix, happy wanderer thing.
I'm aware it scores kind of high on the hokey-meter but I think it will be good for me. You know, help me to find myself.
CORDELIA approaches Xander with a predatory sneer.
And help us to lose you. Everyone's a winner.
Well, look who just popped open a fresh can of venom. Hey, did you hear about Willow getting into Oxnard?
Oxford.
Oxford. And MIT and Yale and every other college on the face of the planet. As in your face I rub it.
Oxford? Whoopee! Four years in tea-bag central. Sounds thrilling. And MIT is a Clearasil ad with housing. And Yale is a dumping ground for those who didn't get into Harvard.
I got into Harvard.
Any clue on what college you might be attending so we can start calculating minimum safe distance?
None of your business. Certainly nowhere near you losers!
Okay, you guys, don't forget to breathe between insults.
I'm sorry, Buffy. This conversation is reserved for people who actually have a future.
Cordelia walks away before anyone can respond.
An angry young woman.
Oh, Buffy, she was just being Cordelia, only more so. Don't pay any attention to her.
She's definitely got a chip going.
Maybe if you didn't goad her so much?
I can't help it. It's my nature.
Maybe you need a better nature.
Buffy and WESLEY walk into the library.
I don't understand.
Well, I don't think I can talk any slower, Wes. I want to leave.
What? Now?
No, not now. After I graduate. You know, college?
But you're a Slayer.
Yeah. I'm also a person. You can't just define me by my Slayer- ness. That's... something-ism.
GILES listens from the door of his office.
Buffy, I know we've talked about you going away...
I got into Northwestern.
That's wonderful news. Good for you.
All right, everyone. Monsters, demons, world in peril?
I bet you they have all that stuff in Illinois.
Wesley draws himself up self-importantly.
You cannot leave Sunnydale. By the power invested in me by the Council, I forbid it.
Ah yes, that should settle it.
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns her back on Wesley.
Faith gone bad and the Mayor's Ascension coming up...
I know it's complicated. I'm aware that my graduation may be, among other things, posthumous, but... what if I stop the Ascension? What if I capture Faith?
I very much hope you will.
If I do that, then all you guys have to do is keep the run-of-the- mill unholy forces at bay through mid-terms and I'll be back in time for Homecoming and every school break after that. Can we at least think about it?
Perhaps if circumstances were different.
I'll make them different.
What?
I'm tired of waiting for Mayor McSleaze to make his move while we sit on our hands counting down to Ascension Day. I mean, let's take the fight to him.
No. No! Much too reckless. We're at a distinct disadvantage. We don't know anything about the Mayor's Ascension.
She's right. Time's running out. We need to take the offensive. (to Buffy) What's your plan?
I gotta have a plan? Really? I can't just be proactive with pep?
No. You want to take the fight to them? I suggest the first step would be to find out exactly what they're up to.
Oh. I actually knew that. I thought you meant a more specific plan, you know, like with maps and stuff. Great. We'll find out what they're up to.
A small plane taxies to a stop and a COURIER leaves the plane carrying a box. A VAMPIRE waits by a limousine with a briefcase.
Is he in the car?
The vampire opens the limo door.
No, I'll take you to him.
CU: reveal the box handcuffed to the courier's right hand. The courier kicks the limo door shut.
The Mayor was supposed to be here in person with the money. Well, the price just went up. I don't like surprises.
The courier's eyes suddenly go wide with shock as the head of an arrow appears through the front of his shirt, dripping blood. He drops dead to the tarmac, shot through the back by Faith, who looks down with satisfaction from the roof of a nearby building.
She sets her crossbow aside and climbs down to the tarmac.
Surprise.
You killed him.
What are you, the narrator? Keys to the cuffs?
The vampire searches the man's clothing but has no luck.
Nothing.
Faith takes out her assassin's knife.
That won't cut through steel.
No, but it will cut through bone.
The limo pulls to a stop in front of City Hall and Faith carries the box inside.
Reveal Buffy, watching from the bushes.
Faith kicks in the door and carries the box inside.
Hey ho! There it is! What happened to the courier? I was supposed to pay him.
Made him an offer he couldn't survive.
She takes the money meant for the courier and puts it in her jacket pocket.
You are one heck of a girl, you know that? I mean, jeez! The initiative, the skill...
Go on, go on.
Faith props her feet on the desk, causing the Mayor to frown slightly. He shoes them away and she obliges.
I will. You know, I'll tell you, if Buffy Summers walked in here and said she wanted to switch to our side, I'd say no thanks, sister. I've got all the Slayer one man could ever need.
Faith sighs.
What?
Nothing.
Oh, it's because I used the B-word, huh? Don't tell me you're still sore about that whole Angel-Buffy thing.
No, I'm over it. She can have him.
Better believe she can. She deserves that poor excuse for a creature of the night. You, on the other hand, can do better.
Faith fidgets and begins toying with the clasp of the box. The Mayor slams his hands down on the lid, suddenly deadly serious.
Don't do that.
The limo pulls to a stop. The vampire driving it hears a noise and looks back through the rear window as Buffy smashes the driver's side window with her fist and yanks him through it.
So what's in the box?
Buffy is flipping through an ancient book, researching with Xander and Wesley.
The Box of Gavrock. It houses some great demonic energy or something which His Honor needs to chow down on come A- Day.
Giles and Willow enter carrying large drawings.
What's that?
Maps. And stuff.
Plans for City Hall. They were in the Water and Power mainframe.
They spread the blueprints out on the table and Buffy points to a section of the drawing.
The box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor. There. Unfortunately, that's all I could get out of my informant before his aggressive tendencies forced me to introduce him to Mr. Pointy.
Well, now. Here's what I think we should do...
I figure we can enter through the skylight. I'll take Angel with me.
Agreed.
And there's a fire ladder on the east side of the building, here.
Yes, yes, fine. But we still need to consider whether the Mayor--
It won't be enough to simply have possession of the box.
Right, we have to destroy it. Not just physically, ritually, with some down and dirty black magick.
Hang on. We don't know what such a ritual would require.
Giles quickly flips through the book.
I think the Breath of the Atropyx is standard for this sort of thing. Fairly simple recipe. Xander?
Wesley attempts to read over Giles' shoulder but Giles hands the book to Xander.
I know. I'm Ingredient Getting Guy.
All right, stop! I demand everyone stop this instant! I'm in charge here and I say this is all moving much too fast. We need time to fully analyze the situation and devise a proper and strategic stratagem.
Wes, hop on the train or get off the tracks.
The Mayor will most assuredly have supernatural safeguards protecting the box. (beat) Oh, we all forgot about that, did we?
Looks like a job for Wicca Girl. What do you say, Will? Big time danger.
Hey, I eat danger for breakfast.
But oddly enough, she panics in the face of breakfast foods.
Let's get to work.
The gang files past Wesley and Giles slaps the map into Wesley's hands who gives up and follows them.
Xander walks down the street and pauses in the window of a clothing shop. He sees Cordelia inside holding up a dress. After pausing for a moment, watching her, goes inside.
Xander enters and saunters up to the queen of the high school.
I have a theory. Your snide remarks earlier? I'm guessing grapes a little on the sour side. Didn't get into any schools, did you? The grades were there but oh, if it weren't for that pesky interview. Ten minutes with you and the Admissions Departments decided that they'd already reached their mean-spirited superficial princess quotas.
Cordelia takes a stack of envelopes from her purse and hands them to Xander.
And once again, the gold medal in the Being Wrong event goes to Xander "I'm as stupid as I look" Harris. Read 'em and weep, creep. USC, Colorado State, Duke and Columbia.
Wow! These are great colleges. I'm guessing they must have seen a different side of your father's money.
She snatches the letters back from him.
Go away.
Sure! If you'll excuse me, I have to go back to helping to save some lives. Carry on. I know that you have some important accessorizing to do.
Xander leaves and we pull in close on Cordelia, looking wistfully at the dress.
A dark van pulls into the parking lot. Wesley drives, Giles rides shotgun. Buffy, Angel and Willow get out.
Now remember, if anything should go awry, Wesley and I will create a diversion.
Let's synchronize our watches. I have twenty-one four--
Buffy and Willow hold up their bare wrists.
Yes, typical.
Maybe we could just count. One-- one thousand, two-- one thousand...
Be careful. All of you.
As the trio marches off, Giles turns to Wesley and offers a thermos.
Tea?
Angel moves over to the side of the building and pulls down the fire ladder. Willow starts climbing.
Oz places a large ceramic pot on a pedestal as Xander enters carrying a paper bag.
You got the goods?
Xander starts taking plastic baggies out of the sack.
Yeah. Essence of toad, twice-blessed sage... maybe that's the toad?
Well, we better be sure. Destroying this box is supposed to be a pretty delicate operation.
Well, then, they shouldn't leave it in the hands of the lay people.
Oz holds up a sheaf of papers.
Oh, Willow laid it out for us pretty well.
Wow! She even drew helpful diagrams. That's the pedestal.
And the ingredients. And us. See, there's you and there's me.
Well, how can you tell which is which? I mean, they both look kinda stick-figurey to me.
Well, this one's me. See the little guitar?
Oh, gotcha.
Nobody like my Willow.
No sir, there is not.
Oz moves to the pot and drops three gold pieces in.
Okay, toad me.
Xander throws him a plastic bag.
The trio can see the box through the skylight in the Mayor's office. Angel opens the skylight and Buffy hands Willow a book and a bottle containing sand. Willow recites a spell while pouring sand over the box. As the sand falls, a blue force field appears around the box, then suddenly disappears.
Oh yeah, I'm bad.
Four stars, Will. Now get going.
I'm gone.
Willow goes back down the fire ladder as Angel fits Buffy with a harness and sets up a pulley system.
Buffy smoothly drops down into the room, hovering just over the Mayor's desk.
Got it!
As she lifts the box off the table, an alarm bell sounds. Angel pulls on the cord but Buffy doesn't move.
Angel!
It's jammed.
I'd like very much to come up now, please. Angel!
I know!
Two vampires rush into the room, snarling.
Don't suppose you want to help me get down? Didn't think so.
Angel leaps down to the desk and engages the vampires while Buffy does an aerial flip and extricates herself from the harness.
Buffy and Angel dodge the vampire guards and duck quickly out of the room, the demons in pursuit.
Buffy and Angel run out of the building and dart into the bushes. As the vampires charge out behind them, the van accelerates out of the lot and the vampires give chase. Buffy and Angel emerge from the bushes, then run the other way.
The Mayor surveys the wrecked conference room. The vampire guards stand before him with their heads bowed.
Well, this is very unfortunate. I just had this conference room redecorated, for Pete's sake. At taxpayers' expense. And, oh yeah... they've got my box!
His cheerful façade disappears and he throws a chair across the room, smashing it to pieces. Faith enters, holding her knife to Willow's neck.
Yeah they do... but looky what we got.
The Mayor suddenly calms down, his face breaking into a huge smile.
Buffy is in a near-panic over Willow's loss and is grilling the rest of her team.
How did you guys let... how did this happen?
We thought she stayed with you.
They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry.
Look, it's nobody's fault, okay. We just need to focus and deal. Oz, I swear I won't let them hurt her.
We go back. Full-on assault.
They'll kill her.
We're assuming they haven't already.
No. No, they know what she means to us. She's too valuable as long as we still have the box. We trade.
We can't.
No, it's the safest plan. (to Giles) It's the only way, right?
It might well be.
Look, we call the Mayor and arrange a meeting.
This box must be destroyed.
I need a volunteer to hit Wesley.
Giles, you know I'm right about this.
Wes, you want to duck and cover at this point?
Damn it, you listen to me! This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you but we will find another way.
There is no other way.
You're the one who said take the fight to the Mayor. You were right. This is the town's best hope of survival. It's your chance to get out.
You think I care about that? Are you made of human parts?
All right! Let's deal with this rationally.
Why are you taking his side?
All three of them starting arguing over each other. Wesley shouts angrily at Buffy.
You'd sacrifice thousands of lives? Your families, your friends? It can all end right here. We have the means to destroy this box.
Oz has been sitting quietly through all this. Now he gets up and picks up the pot and pedestal holding the spell's ingredients. He throws it into a display case, smashing both to shards. Everyone falls silent and Buffy turns to Giles.
Giles, make the phone call.
Willow bangs on a locked window, trying to open it. She gives up on the window and pulls out a desk drawer. A VAMPIRE GUARD enters the musty room.
What are you doing?
Oh, I'm looking for a sucking candy because my mouth gets dry when I'm nervous or held prisoner against my will.
The vampire approaches her with a ravenous look in his eye.
And suddenly I'm thinking sucking isn't a good word to use around vampires. Hey! Did you get permission to eat the hostage? I don't think so. You're going to be in some trouble when the Mayor... ow!
The vampire seizes her by the shoulders and slams her against the wall.
Just a little taste.
As he lowers his fangs to her neck, a pencil from the desk drawer floats up behind him and shoots into his back. He looks up in surprise as he crumbles to dust.
Willow cautiously leaves the room and starts down the hallway.
Willow quickly ducks into another room as a door opens and she hears Faith and the Mayor approach.
She's not brain-dead but she'd have to be to come back here tonight.
Ever had a dog?
What?
I did. Rusty. Irish setter. A dog's friendship is stronger than reason, stronger than it's own sense of self-preservation. Buffy's like a dog and hey, before you can say Jack Robinson, you'll get to see me kill her like one.
Faith and the Mayor continue down the hall and Willow starts to run the other way, but stops at the open door to the Mayor's office.
Willow enters, closes the door, and finds the Mayor's bureau full of skulls and occult paraphernalia. It isn't long before she finds a hidden compartment containing the Books of Ascension and begins skimming the pages. She reads quickly, trying to get a feel for the ancient texts.
She starts when Faith suddenly appears out of nowhere behind her.
Check out the bookworm.
Faith!
Anyone with brains, anyone who knew what was going to happen to her, would try to claw her way out of this place. But you... you just can't stop Nancy Drewing, can you? Guess now you know too much and that kinda just naturally leads to killing.
Faith, wait. I want to talk to you.
Oh yeah? Give me the speech again, please. (mocking) Faith, we're still your friends. We can help you. It's not too late.
It's way too late. You know, it didn't have to be this way. But you made your choice. I know you had a tough life. I know that some people think you had a lot of bad breaks. Well, boo hoo! Poor you. You know, you had a lot more in your life than some people. I mean, you had friends in your life like Buffy. Now you have no one. You were a Slayer and now you're nothing. You're just a big selfish, worthless waste.
Willow's words hit home with Faith and she decks the witch in a rage.
You hurt me, I hurt you. I'm just a little more efficient.
Willow climbs back to her feet, holding her jaw.
Aw, here I just thought you didn't have a come-back.
You're begging for some deep pain.
I'm not afraid of you.
Faith pulls out her wicked knife.
Let's see what we can do about that.
The Mayor appears in the doorway, smiling.
Girls, I hope I don't have to separate you two. Faith, you can play with your new toy later. Something's come up.
Faith continues to hold the knife to Willow's neck, staring deep into her eyes.
Faith! You know I don't like repeating myself. I just received a heck of an interesting phone call.
I got someone. I got him.
Buffy and her crew wait for the Mayor. Giles holds a baseball bat and Oz tests a locked door.
The whole place is locked down, except for the front.
Yeah, it gives me that comforting trapped feeling.
One way out means one way in. I want to see them coming.
The lights go out, leaving the room dimly lit by the outside lights.
Guess they're shy.
I can see all right.
The two vampire guards push open the doors, followed by the Mayor, then Faith holding Willow. The two groups stop and glare at each other. The Mayor and Buffy advance to within arm's reach.
Well, this is exciting, isn't it? (chuckles) Clandestine meetings by dark of night. Exchange of prisoners. I just... I feel like we should all be wearing trenchcoats.
Let her go.
No. Not until the box is in my hands. (beat) So you're the little girl that's been causing me all this trouble? She's pretty, Angel. A little skinny. Still don't understand why it couldn't work out with you and my Faith. Guess you kind of just have strange taste in women.
Well, what can I say? I like them sane.
Willow whimpers as Faith wrenches her arm behind her back.
Angel...
Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I just don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship. And not just because I plan to kill you. You two have a bumpy road ahead.
I don't think we need to talk about this.
God, you kids, you know. You don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. (cold) Unless you want Faith to gut your friend like a sea bass, show a little respect for your elders.
You're not my elder. I've got a lot of years on you.
Yes and that's just one of the things you're going to have to deal with. You're immortal, she's not. It's not easy. I married my Edna May in ought-three and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty picture. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth. Wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. I mean, come on. What kind of a life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun. She's a blossoming young girl and you want to keep her from the life she should have until it has passed her
by. My god! I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from hell for? Is that your greater purpose?
The Mayor stares at Angel for a moment and then shakes his head in disgust.
Make the trade.
Angel and Faith trade. Faith stands in the center of the room holding the Box of Gavrock in her hands.
Well, that went smooth.
Suddenly Principal Snyder and two policemen barge through the door.
Nobody moves!
The Mayor steps back into the shadows as Snyder enters. One of the cops locks the doors behind him.
I knew you kids were up to something.
Snyder, get out of here.
You're not giving orders, young lady. I suppose you're going to tell me I won't find drugs in this box.
Snyder snatches the box from Faith and turns away, handing it off to one of the cops. Faith pulls her knife and moves to attack.
Wait!
Principal Snyder?
Snyder turns at the sound of the Mayor's voice, then sees Faith's drawn knife.
I think we have a problem.
Snyder's face goes pale when he sees the Mayor standing in the shadows. He stutters nervously.
Mr. Mayor, I had no idea you... I'm terribly sorry.
No, it's I who should apologize... coming down here at night. What must you be thinking? But you see, I just needed to...
Behind Snyder, the policeman opens the box.
No! Don't do that!
A huge black spider-like creature about the size of a large cat leaps out of the box onto the policeman's face. He falls to the floor screaming in pain and terror.
The policeman collapses to the floor and stops moving. The spider releases him and skitters away into the shadows. Everyone shifts uneasily, trying to locate the loathsome creature in the dark room.
Oh, god.
Where did it go?
Get that door open!
No! You can't let that thing out of here!
The policeman fumbles nervously with his keys and drops them.
I still want to know where it went.
Listen.
They hear a faint skittering overhead and a low keening. Everyone looks up at the ceiling as the spider drops onto the Mayor's face and he falls backward onto a table.
Boss!
Faith rushes over and pulls the spider off the Mayor. She flings it into the wall and it rights itself and skitters out of sight again. Giles and Wesley climb up on chairs.
While everyone is distracted by the Mayor's predicament, a second spider creeps out of the box.
The Mayor sits up with horrific wounds on his face, however they quickly fade away, healing instantly. Snyder stares in horror and awe at this inhuman display.
Wouldn't leave that open.
Buffy slams the lid of the box shut just as a third creature is climbing out. Severed limbs clatter to the floor as one of the spiders drops on her back from above. She instantly flips onto her back, crushing it against the floor. Faith spots the second spider climbing the wall behind Wesley and raises her knife. Wesley sees her but not the spider behind him. It appears to him as if she's about to attack him.
No!
Wesley ducks and Faith whips the knife across the room and into the spider, nailing it to the wall and killing it. The Mayor strides over the box and picks it up.
Is that all of them?
Not really. You see, there's about fifty billion of these happy little critters in here. Would you like to see?
The cop finally gets the doors open and he and the two vampire guards race out of the room and into the night.
Raise your hand if you're invulnerable. Faith, let's go.
Faith stares at the impaled spider on the wall, wanting her knife back.
Faith.
Faith stares a moment more, then follows him. Snyder holds a chair at chest height, legs pointed outward. He turns as Faith walks by, keeping the chair between them.
Snyder, you alive in there?
You. All of you. Why couldn't you be dealing drugs like normal people?
Snyder exits the cafeteria, still holding his chair like a security blanket and muttering to himself.
Well, that went swimmingly.
Buffy looks at Willow with deep relief and honest love.
We did all right.
Buffy and Willow sit cross-legged on the counter. Willow is very animated.
So Faith was like, "I'm going to beat you up," and I'm all "I'm not afraid of you" and then she had the knife which was less fun and then... oh! I told her, "You made your choice, Buffy was your friend..."
This is fascinating but let's get back to the point. You actually had your hands on the Books of Ascension?
Volumes one through five.
Is there anything you can remember that could be of use to us? Anything at all?
Well, I was in a hurry and what I did read was kind of over- involved. If you ask me, way over-written. Actually, there were a few pages that looked kind of interesting but I didn't have a chance to read them fully.
Giles looks away, disheartened as Willow pulls some folded pages out of her pocket.
See what you can make of them?
Giles smiles like a kid at Christmas and rushes off.
This is your night for suave, Will. You should get captured more often.
No, thank you.
Well, let's hope there is something useful in those pages. The Mayor has the Box of Gavrock. As of now, we are right back where we started. Wouldn't you say?
Buffy leans against a tree as Willow approaches.
Deep thoughts?
Deep and meaningful.
As in?
As in, I'm never getting out of here. I kept thinking if I stopped the Mayor or... (beat) but I was kidding myself. I mean, there is always going to be something. I'm a Sunnydale girl, no other choice.
Must be tough. I mean, here I am, I can do anything I want. I can go to any college in the country, four or five in Europe if I want.
Please tell me you're going somewhere with this?
Willow hands Buffy a letter.
No. I'm not going anywhere.
UC Sunnydale?
I will be matriculating with Class of 2003.
Are you serious?
Say, isn't that where you're going?
Elated, Buffy hugs her and they tumble to the ground, laughing.
I can't believe it! Are you serious? Wait, what am I saying? You can't.
What do you mean, I can't?
I won't let you.
Of the two people here, which is the boss of me?
There are better schools.
Sunnydale's not bad. And I can design my own curriculum.
Okay, well, there are safer schools. There are safer prisons. I can't let you stay because of me.
Actually, this isn't about you. Although-- don't get me wrong-- I'm fond of you. The other night, you know, being captured and all, facing off with Faith... things just kind of got clear. I mean, you've been fighting evil here for three years and I've helped some and now we're supposed to decide what we want to do with our lives. And I just realized that that's what I want to do. Fight evil, help people. I mean, I think it's worth doing. And I don't think you do it because you have to. It's a good fight, Buffy and I want in.
I kind of love you.
And besides, I have a shot at being a bad-ass Wicca and what better place to learn?
I feel the need for more sugar than the human body can handle.
Mochas?
Yes, please! It's weird. You look at something and you think you know exactly what you're seeing and then you find out it's something else entirely.
Neat, huh?
Sometimes it is.
The same store where Cordelia and Xander last fought with each other. Cordelia holds the same dress in front of her, checking out its fit in a full-length mirror. MRS. FINKLE, the store owner, enters the room behind her.
Chase! What are you doing? Your break's been over for ten minutes. I still need you to re-stock the shelves and clean out the storage room. Let's go.
Cordelia looks wistfully at the dress for a few seconds more, then goes back to work.
Buffy and Angel hold hands, sitting on a blanket, leaning against a gravestone.
It's going to be fun. Will and I are going to go on Saturday to check out the campus. I'm hoping Mom will let me live there. It's too far to come home every night. Plus the whole lack-of- cool factor. Either way, I'll be close to your place. I don't know what the Mayor was talking about. How could he know anything about us?
Well, he's evil.
Big time. He doesn't even know what a lasting relationship is.
No.
Probably the only lasting relationship he's ever had is with evil.
Yeah.
Big, stupid, evil guy. We'll be okay.
We will.
Buffy leans her head against Angel's chest, her expression very not-okay.