Prologue: 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. The Bronze. The camera extends out from the catwalk, looking straight down onto the people below. They are dancing to the slow, sensual rhythm of "Never an Easy Way" performed by Morcheeba.
Lyrics: Think I slip the net / But I cut myself free
Cut to the crowd below. Buffy and Xander are dancing together, but not close, and exchange a few words as they move around. Behind them Cordelia and Willow are sitting at a table and chatting.
Lyrics: I'm not losing yet / So don't forget me / I'll say it, replay it... A man crosses in front of the camera, temporarily blocking the view, and when he's gone by Angelus is standing beyond the table near the base of the stairs. He watches them dance. His voice narrates throughout the scene.
Angelus: Passion.
Lyrics: ...and try tomorrow
Angelus: It lies in all of us.
Lyrics: I'll say it, replay it...
Angelus: Sleeping...
Lyrics: ...and live with sorrow
Angelus: ...waiting... And though unwanted...
Lyrics: You'd think I'd learn by now
Angelus: ...unbidden... it will stir...
Lyrics: There's never an easy way He begins to move around the room, all the while keeping his stare on Buffy.
Angelus: ...open its jaws, and howl.
Lyrics: I'll get through somehow / I'm on my knees to pray Cut outside to the alley. Willow and Buffy come walking out of the Bronze. Buffy has her arm hooked into Willow's. Cordelia and Xander are behind them with their arms around each other.
Lyrics: You'd think I'd learn by now / There's never an easy way They walk past a couple, apparently engaged in a kiss. The camera stops on the couple.
Lyrics: I'll get through somehow... The man lifts his head from the woman, and it's Angelus, just finishing a bite. He lets the woman's dead body fall to the pavement. He steps out into the alley, leaving the woman's body lying there, and watches the group as they walk away, completely unaware of his presence and his deed. He morphs into his human guise and begins to follow.
Cut to a shot into Buffy's room from outside of her window. Buffy walks around her bed past the window. On her way back she pauses by the window and looks out. She lifts the blinds a little and scans around. Seemingly satisfied that no one's there she walks back over to her closet, unzipping the back of her dress along the way.
Cut to later inside her room. She's in her pajamas now. She sets her alarm and gets into bed. She reaches over to turn off her light and settles in to sleep. The camera closes in on her a little and turns to include the window in the shot. Angelus is outside looking in.
Cut to even later in her room. The camera closes in on a sleeping Buffy. A shadow comes across her bed, and a hand reaches over to stroke her hair with its fingers. The camera pans over to the person, and it's Angelus, sitting on the edge of her bed and looking down at her. He continues his narration as the camera pulls out for a shot of him sitting next to her while she sleeps.
Angelus: It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays. ~~~~~~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~~~~~~ Morning in Buffy's room. The camera pans from the foot of her bed up to her face. She stirs and wakes. She opens her eyes to look over at her clock, but they fix on an envelope left next to her on her pillow. She lets out an inquiring moan, pushes her hair back and picks up the envelope as she sits up. She looks down at it and sees that it's blank. She opens it, takes out the paper inside, unfolds it and can only stare at it in disbelief. Cut to a view of the sheet. On it is a pencil sketch of her sleeping.
Buffy: He was in my room.
Cut to the library. Giles is behind the counter checking in various books. Buffy walks past him toward the table as he looks up.
Giles: Who?
Buffy: Angel. He was in my room last night. He comes out from behind the counter and follows her over to the table. Xander and Cordelia are there also.
Giles: Are you sure?
Buffy: Positive. When I woke up, I found a picture he'd left me on my pillow. (crosses her arms)
Xander: A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy.
Cordelia: Wait, I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited them in.
Giles: Yes, but, uh, once you've invited them in, thereafter they're, they're always welcome. Buffy looks down, then over at Xander as he speaks.
Xander: Y'know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms.
Cordelia: (realizes) Oh, God! (looks at Xander) I invited him in my car once. (looks at Giles) That means he can come into my car whenever he wants.
Xander: Yep, you're doomed to havin' (Cordelia looks at him) to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for gas. Cordelia looks away, disgusted.
Buffy: Giles, there has to be some sort of spell to reverse the invitation, right? Like a barrier, a no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing?
Cordelia: Yeah, that works for a car, too?
Giles: Yes, well, I-I-I could check on my...
Xander: (hops up from his chair) Hello! They all look behind them and see Jonathon and a girl come into the library.
Xander: Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?
Jonathon: (gestures to the library before him) We're supposed to get some books. On Stalin. (nods)
Xander: (points at Jonathon) Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?
Giles: This is a school library, Xander.
Xander: Since when?
Giles: (to Jonathon) Uh, y-yes, yes, uh, third row. (gestures to the stacks) Historical biographies.
Jonathon: Thanks. He and the girl walk past them, up the stairs and into the stacks. The others watch them go until they disappear. Xander points out of the library. He and Cordelia pick up their things and start out. Giles looks at Buffy, confused, but follows.
Giles: What... (gets a look from Buffy) Oh! Jonathon comes back out of the stacks.
Jonathon: Hey, did you say that was the... (sees they're gone) Hello?
Cut to the hall. Xander and Cordelia lead Giles and Buffy as they walk along.
Giles: So Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you?
Cordelia: By sneaking in her room and leaving stuff at night? Why doesn't he just slit her throat or strangle her while she's sleeping or cut her heart out? (gets looks from everyone) What? I'm trying to help. They've left the hall and walk along the colonnade.
Giles: Yes. (to Buffy) Uh, uh, look, it's-it's classic battle strategy to throw one's opponent off his game. He-he-he's just trying to provoke you. Uh, to taunt you, to, to goad you into, uh, some mishap of some sort.
Xander: (looks back at Giles) The (sing-song) nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah approach to battle?
Giles: Yes, Xander, once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form. (Xander smiles)
Buffy: Giles, Angel once told me that when he was obsessed with Drusilla, the first thing h-he did was to kill her family.
Xander: (stops and looks at her) Your mom.
Buffy: I know. I'm gonna have to tell her something. (sits on a wall and looks at Giles) The truth?
Giles: (approaches her, waving his finger) No. You-you-you-you can't do that.
Xander: Yeah. The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us.
Buffy: But I've gotta tell her something. I've gotta do something. Giles, Angel has an all-access pass to my house, and I'm not always there when my mother is. I can't protect her.
Giles: (flustered) I told you I will find a-a spell.
Buffy: What about *until* you find a spell?
Cordelia: Until then, you and your mother are welcome to ride around with me in my car.
Giles: Buffy, I-I understand your concern, but it's imperative that you keep a level head through all this.
Buffy: That's easy for you to say. You don't have Angel lurking in your bedroom at night.
Giles: I know how hard this is for you. (gets a look from Buffy) All right, I don't. But as the Slayer, you don't have the luxury of being a slave to your, your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you. No matter how provocative his behavior may become.
Buffy: So what you're basically saying is, 'just ignore him, and maybe he'll go away'?
Giles: (exhales) Yes. Precisely.
Xander: Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty 'once again you boil it down to the simplest form' thing? Giles and Buffy both look over at him. He looks her up and down.
Xander: Watcher's pet.
Cut to Jenny's computer science class.
Jenny: Don't forget, I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week. The bell rings, and she walks around behind her desk.
Jenny: Oh, and I want both a paper printout and a copy on disk. Thank you. She looks down at her desk for a second, then back up and reaches her arm out to get Willow's attention before she goes.
Jenny: Willow.
Willow: (approaches the desk) Yes?
Jenny: Um, I might be a little late tomorrow. Do you think you could cover my class till I show?
Willow: (smiling brightly) Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure!
Jenny: Cool.
Willow: (suddenly worried) Oh, wait. W-what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?
Jenny: (reassuringly) Willow, you're gonna be fine. And I'll try not to be too late, okay?
Willow: (calmer) Okay. Good. Earlier is good. (smiles) Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps? Buffy and Giles appear at the door.
Buffy: Hey, Will. Jenny and Willow look over at her.
Jenny: Hi, Buffy. Rupert. Giles looks down.
Buffy: (ignoring Jenny) Willow, I thought I might take in a class. Figured I could use someone who knows where they are. Willow glances over at Jenny with her eyes and then starts to walk out of the classroom.
Willow: (to Buffy) Sorry. I have to talk to her. She's a teacher, and teachers are to be respected, (they exit the room) even if they're only filling in until the real teacher shows up, because otherwise chaos could ensue... Giles has let the girls go, and now steps into the classroom. His hands are in his pockets.
Jenny: How have you been?
Giles: Uh, not so good, actually. Uh, since Angel lost his soul, he's regained his sense of whimsy.
Jenny: Well, that sounds bad. (crosses her arms)
Giles: He's been in Buffy's bedroom. I-I-I need to drum up a spell to, uh, keep him out of the house. She reaches down to her desk and picks up an old book.
Jenny: This might help. (hands it to Giles) I've been doing a little reading since Angel changed. (crosses her arms again) I don't think you have that one.
Giles: Thank you. (leafs through it)
Jenny: So, how's Buffy doing?
Giles: (closes and lowers the book) How do you think?
Jenny: (faces away) I know you feel betrayed.
Giles: Yes. Well, that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal.
Jenny: (looks down at her desk) Rupert... I was raised by the people that Angel hurt the most. (looks up at Giles) My duty to them was the first thing I was ever taught. I didn't come here to hurt anyone, (looks away) a-and I lied to you because I thought it was the right thing to do. I... I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you. She pauses for a moment before looking back up at Giles. They exchange a meaningful look, but then she looks away again.
Jenny: Oh, God. Is it too late to take that back?
Giles: Do you want to?
Jenny: (looks at him) I just wanna be right with you. I don't expect more. I just want so badly to make all this up to you.
Giles: I understand. But I'm not the one you need to make it up to. She looks at him, understanding. He gives her a little smile and raises the book.
Giles: Thank you for the book. He turns and walks out of the room. She just watches him go.
Cut to the dining room at Buffy's house. She and Joyce are having dinner. Buffy is just picking at her food. Joyce puts down her fork, folds her hands and leans forward on the table toward her daughter.
Joyce: Okay. What's wrong?
Buffy: (looks at her mom) It's nothing. (looks at her plate)
Joyce: Come on. You can tell me anything. (Buffy eyes her) I've read all the parenting books. You cannot surprise me. Buffy puts down her fork, puts her hands in her lap and looks over at her mother.
Buffy: Do you remember that guy Angel?
Joyce: Angel, the, um... (thinks) the college boy who was tutoring you in history?
Buffy: Right. Uh, he... I-I... (looks down and whispers) Oh, God. Um... (looks back up) We're sort of dating, *were* dating, um, going through a serious off-again phase right now.
Joyce: (smiles) Don't tell me. He's changed. He's not the same guy you fell for?
Buffy: (smiles nervously) In a nutshell. (loses the smile) A-anyway, um... since he changed, he's been kinda following me around. He's having trouble letting go.
Joyce: (concerned) Buffy, has he done anything...
Buffy: No! No, it's not like that. He's just been hanging around... a lot. Just sending me notes, that kind of thing. (gets a concerned look from Joyce) I just don't wanna see him right now. I mean, if he shows up, I'll talk to him. Just... don't invite him in.
Cut to Willow's room. She's in her pajamas, walking around with her cordless phone to her ear.
Willow: I agree with Giles. You need to just try and not let him get to you. (heads for her desk) Angel's only doing this to try to get you to do something stupid. (closes her laptop) I swear, men can be such jerks sometimes. Dead or alive. (goes to her new aquarium)
Buffy: I just hope Giles can find a keep-out spell soon.
Cut to Buffy sitting on her bed, also in pajamas, talking into her phone.
Buffy: I know I'll sleep easier when I can... sleep easier.
Cut to Willow sprinkling fish food into her tank.
Willow: I'm sure he will. He's like book-man. (puts away the food) Until then, try and keep happy thoughts and... She sees something on her bed. Cut to Buffy.
Buffy: And what?
Cut to Willow.
Buffy: Willow? Willow holds the phone between her cheek and shoulder and reaches down for a blank envelope on her bed.
Buffy: Willow? Willow turns back toward her aquarium. The camera follows her and pans around the tank for a shot of her through the fishless water. She opens the envelope and finds a string. She pulls on it, and out come her fish, strung together one after the other. Willow loses her grip on her phone and it falls to the floor.
Cut to later in Buffy's room. She and Willow are sitting on her bed. Behind them is a string of garlic cloves hanging on the wall. Willow has a stake in her hand that she's fidgeting with nervously while she looks around.
Willow: Thanks for having me over, Buffy. Especially on a school night and all.
Buffy: No problem. Hey, sorry about your fish.
Willow: Oh, it's okay. We hadn't really had time to bond yet. Although for the first time I'm glad my parents didn't let me have a puppy.
Buffy: (stares into space) It's so weird... Every time something like this happens, my first instinct is still to run to Angel. I can't believe it's the same person. He's completely different from the guy that I knew. (looks at Willow)
Willow: Well, sort of, except...
Buffy: Except what?
Willow: (looks at Buffy) You're still the only thing he thinks about. Buffy looks down at her hands.
Cut to Spike's warehouse. He's in his wheelchair in the foreground at the head of the table. Drusilla comes in behind him, holding a puppy behind her back.
Drusilla: I brought something for you. (brings out the whining puppy) Poor thing. She's an orphan. (reaches Spike) Her owner died... (smiles at him) without a fight. Do you like her? (he looks at her) Hmm? (reaches her hand into his jacket and rubs his chest) I brought her especially for you... (pulls at his jacket) to cheer you up. (raises the puppy) And I've named her... (sweetly) Sunshine! (offers the puppy to Spike) Open wide. (he looks away) Come on, love. You need to eat something to keep your strength up. Now, (waves the puppy around) rrrrr, open up for mummy.
Spike: I won't have you feeding me like a child, Dru. (wheels around the table)
Angelus: (comes in) Why not? She already bathes you, carries you around and changes you like a child.
Drusilla: Why, Angel. (he smiles at her) Where have you been? The sun is almost up, and it can be so hurtful. (looks at Spike) We were worried.
Spike: No, we weren't.
Drusilla: You must forgive Spike. He's just a bit testy tonight. Doesn't get out much anymore.
Angelus: Well, maybe next time I'll bring you with me, Spike. Might be handy to have you around if I ever need a really good parking space.
Spike: Have you forgotten that you're a bloody guest in my bloody home?
Angelus: (steps closer) And as a guest, (leans in) if there's anything I can do for you... Any... responsibility I can assume while you're spinning your wheels... (looks over at Drusilla) Anything I'm not already doing, that is.
Spike: (shoves Angelus away angrily) That's enough! Angelus smiles widely and giggles.
Drusilla: Aww... She leans down to Spike, gives him a peck on the cheek and puts the puppy in his lap. He holds the puppy as she steps away and goes around the table.
Drusilla: You two boys... fightin' over me and all. (stops between two chairs) Makes a girl feel... Suddenly she looks up and moans loudly in apparent pain. Angelus steps over opposite her across the table, looking concerned.
Spike: Dru, what is it, pet?
Drusilla: (bent over in pain, breathing hard) The air. It worries. Someone... an old enemy is seeking help... (Angelus throws Spike a look) help to destroy our happy home. (leans against a chair) Ohhhh...
Cut to a tarot shop. The camera pans across a display table with a skull in a covered glass bowl, a small gong hung between two horns, a pig fetus in formaldehyde, what looks like a large crab also in formaldehyde and another jar. A pricing gun waves into view and puts prices on the last two jars. The shopkeeper continues on to price other things. Cut outside. Jenny walks around the railing in front of the shop and takes the steps down to the entrance. Cut inside the shop. She comes in the door and looks around. The shopkeeper looks up from his work.
Shopkeeper: (with a Rumanian accent) Welcome. How may I serve you today?
Jenny: (faces him) Uh...
Shopkeeper: Love potion? Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful...
Jenny: (interrupts) I need an Orb of Thesulah.
Shopkeeper: (drops the accent) Oh, you're in the trade. Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine's Day, I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge of past lovers. (goes behind the sales counter) Sad fact is, Ouija boards and rabbits' feet, that's what pay the rent around here. (goes into the back) So how did you hear about us?
Jenny: (checks out a few things) My Uncle Enyos told me about you.
Shopkeeper: (looks out at her) So you're Janna, then. (she looks at him) Sorry to hear about your uncle.
Jenny: Thank you.
Shopkeeper: (comes back with a round wooden box) He was a good customer. Well, no, there you go. (sets it down and opens it) One Thesulan Orb. Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead. (Jenny reaches into her purse) I don't get many calls for those lately. (she pulls out her wallet) Sold a couple as new age paperweights last year. (she hands him a credit card) Yeah, I just love those new-agers, boy. They helped to (imprints the card) send my youngest to college. (fills in the form) By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost. (hands her the form and a pen) Without the annals, the surviving text is gibberish.
Jenny: And without a translated text, the Orbs of Thesulah are pretty much useless. (signs) Yeah, I know. (hands him his copy)
Shopkeeper: Well, I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds. (puts the lid on the box)
Jenny: It's okay. I'm working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text.
Shopkeeper: Yecchh. I don't like computers. They give me the willies.
Jenny: Well, (takes the box) thank you.
Shopkeeper: You're welcome. She takes the lid off of the box as she slowly walks toward the door.
Shopkeeper: By the way... (she looks back) Not that it's any of my business, really, but, uh, what are you planning on conjuring up? If you can decipher the text?
Jenny: A present for a friend of mine. (lifts the Orb)
Shopkeeper: Really? What are you gonna give him? She looks into the Orb and it begins to glow.
Jenny: His soul. ~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~ Sunnydale High School. Willow and Buffy are chatting as they walk along the sidewalk and then up the steps.
Buffy: We'll be in hiding, probably... (inaudible)
Willow: (inaudible)
Buffy: Siberia.
Xander: (jumps up behind them) Well, good morning, ladies. And what did you two do last night?
Willow: We had kind of a 'pajama party sleepover with weapons' thing.
Xander: Oh. And I don't suppose either of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment.
Willow: I have to go. I have a class to teach in about five minutes, and I have to arrive early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers. (sees Jenny arriving) Oh, darn. She's here. (walks off) Five hours of lesson planning yesterday down the drain...
Buffy: (sees Jenny, too) You know what? I'll see you in class. She leaves Xander, jogs up to Jenny and gets in front of her.
Buffy: Hey.
Jenny: Hi. Buffy looks at Jenny a moment, then averts her eyes.
Jenny: Uh, is there something that... Did you want something?
Buffy: Look... I know you feel badly about what happened, and I just wanted to say... Jenny looks at her expectantly.
Buffy: Good. Keep it up.
Jenny: (not surprised) Don't worry, I will.
Buffy: (holds up her hand) Oh, wait. Um... (looks at her) He misses you. He doesn't say anything, I mean, but I know he does. And I don't want him to be lonely. I don't want anyone to.
Jenny: Buffy, you know that if I have a chance to make this up...
Buffy: (interrupts) We're... good here. Let's just leave it. She walks away. Jenny watches her go.
Cut to the lounge. Giles is talking with a couple of students while searching through his briefcase for some flyers.
Giles: I put it here somewhere. (finds the flyers) Oh, yes, yes. That's it. (hands the flyers to the students) Could you, um, hang those up? (the students nod) Thank you. (sees Buffy arrive) Buffy. So, uh, so how was your night?
Buffy: Sleepless, but no human fatalities. Cordelia comes up to them.
Giles: I-I found a ritual to revoke the invitation to vampires.
Cordelia: Oh, thank goodness. I actually had to talk my grandmother into switching cars with me last night.
Giles: Um, the-the-the, uh, the ritual's fairly basic, actually. It's just the recitation of a few rhyming couplets, burning of, uh, moss herbs, sprinkling of holy water... (turns down the hall)
Buffy: (starts to follow) All stuff I have in my house.
Giles: Hanging of crosses...
Cut to Willow's room. She nails a cross next to her French doors and pulls the curtain over to hide it.
Willow: I'm gonna have a hard time explaining this to my dad.
Buffy: You really think it'll bother him?
Willow: Ira Rosenberg's only daughter nailing crucifixes to her bedroom wall? I have to go over to Xander's house just to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' every year.
Buffy: I see your point. They go to her bed. Cordelia is looking at Willow's aquarium.
Willow: Although it is worthwhile to see him do the Snoopy Dance. (puts down the hammer)
Cordelia: Willow, (faces them, arms crossed) are you aware that there are no fish in your aquarium? Willow frowns and whines.
Buffy: You know, Cordelia, we've already done your car. Call it a night if you want.
Cordelia: Right. Thanks. And you know I'd do the same for you if you had a social life. She picks her coat up from Willow's bed and sees a blank envelope there.
Cordelia: Oh. (picks it up) This must be for you. She hands the envelope to Willow. Willow gives Buffy a worried glance and opens it. When she sees what's in it she hands it to Buffy.
Willow: It's for you. Buffy unfolds the paper and sees a pencil sketch of her mother sleeping.
Buffy: Mom.
Cut to Joyce driving home in her Jeep. Cut to a view of her from the lawn nearing the house. As she turns into the driveway the camera pulls back, and Angelus' legs come into view. Joyce sees him as she pulls to a stop and turns off the engine. He approaches her open car window.
Angelus: Mrs. Summers, I need to talk to you.
Joyce: (gets out with a bag of groceries) You're Angel.
Angelus: (pushes the door closed) Did Buffy tell you about us?
Joyce: She told me she wants you to leave her alone.
Angelus: I-I can't. I can't do that.
Joyce: You're scaring her.
Angelus: You have to help me. (she starts toward the house) Joyce... (follows her) I need, I need to be with her. Y-you can convince her. You have to convince her.
Joyce: Look, (Angelus gets in front of her) I'm telling you to leave her alone.
Angelus: You have to talk to her for me, Joyce. Tell her I need her.
Joyce: (goes around him) Please, look, I-I just wanna get inside, okay? She lets go of her bag with one hand and rummages in her purse for her keys, but she can't keep her grip on the bag, and it falls. Several oranges roll out and around. Angelus rights the bag and scrambles to pick a few of the oranges up.
Angelus: You don't understand, Joyce. (she finds her keys) I'll die without Buffy. She'll die without me.
Joyce: Are you threatening her?
Angelus: Please... Why is she doing this to me?
Joyce: I'm calling the police now. She forgets the grocery bag and goes to the door. There she fumbles with her keys, trying to find the right one. Angelus comes up next to her. She finally gets the key in the door.
Angelus: I haven't been able to sleep since the night we made love. Joyce looks up at him in surprise.
Angelus: I need her. I know you understand.
Joyce: (opens the door) Just leave us alone. (rushes in) Cut inside. He tries to follow, but comes up against an invisible barrier. Buffy and Willow come down the stairs. Willow reads a Latin verse from a book.
Willow: 'Hicce verbis consensus rescissus est.'
Translation: By these strong unanimous words [Angelus' permission to enter] is rescinded.
Buffy: (comes up to him) Sorry, Angel. Changed the locks. (slams the door in his face)
Cut to Jenny's classroom. She's at her desk working on the translation program. She takes a sip of coffee from her mug and sets it back down. She types a few keystrokes, then stares at the screen. Behind her Giles appears and stands in the doorway.
Giles: Hello. She startles and looks at him. Quickly she types a few keystrokes, and the screen changes. She turns back to him.
Jenny: Oh! Hi.
Giles: (steps into the room) You're working late.
Jenny: Special project.
Giles: Oh.
Jenny: I spoke to Buffy today.
Giles: Oh! Yes? (sits on her desk)
Jenny: Mm. (looks away) She said you missed me. (plays with a pencil)
Giles: Well, uh, she's... a meddlesome girl.
Jenny: (looks at him) Rupert... Okay, I don't wanna say anything if I'm wrong, but I may have some news. Now, I need to finish up here. Could I see you later?
Giles: Y-yes, yes. You could stop by my house.
Jenny: Okay. (smiles)
Giles: (smiles and gets up) Good. (smiles wider, then goes) Jenny turns her attention back to her computer.
Cut to the tarot shop. The Shopkeeper turns out the light by the front entrance and heads toward the back. A woman holding a puppy opens the door and steps in.
Shopkeeper: Sorry, honey. (blows out some candles) We're closed. He looks up and sees Drusilla standing there.
Shopkeeper: (nervous) W... What do you want?
Drusilla: (looks at the puppy) Miss Sunshine here tells me you had a visit today. (stares up) But she worries. (looks at the shopkeeper) She wants to know what you and the mean teacher talked about.
Cut to later in Jenny's classroom. She's still working at her computer. She taps a few keys, then looks up at the screen. A percent complete window appears over the Rumanian text, and the bar zips across it.
Jenny: Come on, come on... The bar disappears, and a translation scrolls up next to the original text.
Jenny: That's it! (exhales and smiles) It's gonna work! (saves the result) This... will work. She pops out an unlabeled yellow floppy disk and sets it aside by some books near the edge of her desk. In the mean time a hardcopy has started to print out. She wheels her chair over to the printer and looks it over. She looks up and sees Angelus sitting in a desk at the back of the class. She gasps and jumps out of her seat.
Jenny: Angel... (slowly moves toward the door) How did you get in here?
Angelus: I was invited. The sign in front of the school... 'Formatia trans sicere educatorum.'
Jenny: 'Enter all ye who seek knowledge.'
Angelus: (giggles and gets up) What can I say? I'm a knowledge seeker.
(comes toward her)
Jenny: (frightened) Angel, I-I-I've got good news.
Angelus: I heard. You went shopping at the local boogedy-boogedy store.
(sees the Orb on her desk and picks it up) The Orb of Thesulah. If memory serves, this is supposed to summon a person's soul... from the ether... store it until it can be transferred. The Orb begins to glow as he looks into it. He glances up at Jenny for an instant. She edges away from him.
Angelus: You know what I hate most about these things? Jenny screams as he heaves it into the chalkboard behind her. It shatters into hundreds of pieces and a lot of dust.
Angelus: (smiles) They're so damn fragile. (loses the smile) Must be that shoddy gypsy craftsmanship, huh? Jenny has backed into the wall and trembles with fear. She starts to inch her way toward the door. Angelus reaches over to the PC and turns the monitor so he can see it.
Angelus: I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries. Jenny has reached the door and tries to open it. It's locked. He turns the monitor back around.
Angelus: It's a miracle to me. You, you put the secrets to restoring my soul in here... He shoves the computer off her of desk and onto the floor. It breaks, and the monitor shatters and sparks and starts to burn. Angelus tears the printout from the printer.
Angelus: It comes out here. (looks at the paper) 'The Ritual of Restoration.' Wow. This, this brings back memories. He starts to tear the printout in half.
Jenny: Wait. That's your...
Angelus: Oh, my cure? (finishes tearing) No, thanks. Been there, done that, and deja vu just isn't what it used to be. (sees the fire) My... Isn't this my lucky day. The computer... (holds the paper over the flames) and the pages. (warms his hands) Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. He crouches over the fire to warm himself more. Jenny starts toward the back door. Angelus looks back up at her sporting his game face.
Angelus: And teacher makes three. She starts to run for it, but Angelus roars and quickly jumps and grabs hold of her.
Jenny: No! He throws her back into the locked door, and it breaks open. She looks back at him, scrambles to her feet and begins to run.
Angelus: Oh, good. I need to work up an appetite first.
Cut to the halls. Jenny comes running, opens the door to the lounge area and runs to another set of door to outside, but they are locked. She runs back into the lounge, sees Angelus coming and runs further down the hall. Angelus pulls open the doors and follows her at a fast walk. Cut outside to another hall exit. Jenny bursts through the door and runs along the colonnade. Angelus is not far behind, and continues after her at a quick pace. Soon he starts to run as well. Jenny keeps running, checking behind her every so often. She reaches the next building and struggles with the door. She looks back and sees Angelus running toward her with an evil grin on his face. She yanks hard at the door several more times before it opens, and she runs in. Cut inside the hall. Jenny pulls the door closed behind her and Angelus slams into it. She starts to run down the hall. Angelus has to yank at the door a couple of times before it opens for him, too, and he runs in after her. A cleaning cart is in the hall by the stairs, and Jenny grabs it and pushes it into Angelus. He slams into it and flies over it and onto the floor while she rushes up the steps.
Cut to a view down the stairs from above. Jenny runs up and out of view. Angelus isn't on the floor below anymore. He's nowhere to be seen.
Cut to a landing by a large arched window. Jenny runs up onto it and right into a waiting Angelus. She screams when he grabs hold of her. He chuckles and looks into her face. He puts one hand around behind her head and touches her lips with the fingers of his other. The view out of the window is of the park beyond with the palm trees lit up. A car drives by.
Angelus: Sorry, Jenny, this is where you get off. He takes his fingers from her lips and puts his hand under her chin. In one swift movement he twists her head and snaps her neck. Her body collapses to the floor. He looks up and around, breathing heavily from the running and the excitement.
Angelus: Ah... I never get tired of doing that.
[SCENE_BREAK]
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~ Buffy's house. Giles steps up to the door and knocks. Willow comes to the door and opens it.
Giles: Willow, good evening. (steps in)
Willow: Hi. Come on in. (closes the door, hands him the book) Here's the book.
Giles: Right. (looks the book over) I guess I should do my apartment tonight. (looks up) The ritual go all right?
Willow: Oh, yeah. It went fine. Well, it went fine until Angel showed up and told Buffy's mom that he and Buffy had... (nervously) Well, you know, that they had... you know. You do know, right?
Giles: Oh, yes. Yes. Sorry.
Willow: (relieved) Oh, good, 'cause I just realized that being a librarian and all, you maybe didn't know.
Giles: Oh, thank you. I got it.
Willow: You would have been proud of her, though. She totally kept her cool. (smiles) There is an awkward moment of silence.
Willow: Okay, well, I'll tell Buffy you stopped by. (smiles)
Giles: (looks up the stairs) Would you, um... Perhaps I should intervene on, on Buffy's behalf w-w-with her mother. Um, maybe... say something?
Willow: Sure! Like, what would you say?
Giles: (looks up the stairs again) W... Uh... She reaches for the doorknob and opens it.
Giles: You will tell Buffy I dropped by? (goes out)
Willow: You bet. (closes the door)
Cut to Buffy's room. She's sitting on her bed. Joyce is pacing, trying to take in what she's hearing.
Buffy: That stuff with the Latins and the herbs, uh, he's just real superstitious.
Joyce: (sits with her eyes closed) Oh.
Buffy: We just thought if...
Joyce: Was he the first? (opens her eyes) No, wait. (stands up) I don't wanna know. (paces) I don't think I want to.
Buffy: Yeah. He was the first. I mean, the only.
Joyce: (stops and looks at her daughter) He's older than you.
Buffy: I know.
Joyce: Too old, Buffy. And he's obviously not very stable. I really wish... (sits again) I just thought you would show more judgment.
Buffy: (looks at her mother) He wasn't like this before.
Joyce: Are you in love with him?
Buffy: I was.
Joyce: Were you careful?
Buffy: (looks away) Mom, this is no time...
Joyce: (gets up again) Don't 'Mom' me, Buffy. You don't get to get out of this. You had s*x with a boy you *didn't* even see fit to tell me you were dating.
Buffy: (nods) I made a mistake.
Joyce: Yeah, well, don't just say that to shut me up, because I think you really did.
Buffy: I know that! (looks up at her) I-I can't tell you everything.
Joyce: How about anything? Buffy, you can shut me out of your life, I am pretty much used to that. But don't expect me to ever stop caring about you, because it's never gonna happen. I love you more than anything in the world. (sits next to Buffy on the bed) That would be your cue to, uh, roll your eyes and tell me I'm grossing you out.
Buffy: You're not.
Joyce: (inhales) Oh, well... (exhales) I guess that was the talk.
Buffy: So how'd it go? They look at each other.
Joyce: I don't know. It was my first.
Cut to Giles' apartment. He arrives at his door looking at his keys. He looks up and sees a red rose on the door and can hear the music of the opera "La Boheme", by Puccini, coming from inside. He takes the rose, inhales its aroma and smiles. He opens his door and goes in. Cut inside. Giles pokes his head in.
Giles: Hello? He sees no one there, so he steps in and closes the door behind him.
Giles: Jenny? He puts his briefcase aside and steps over to his coat rack.
Giles: It's me! He takes off his coat and hangs it up. He looks around again and sees a chilled bottle of champagne and two long-stemmed glasses on his desk. On top of the crystal ice bucket is a folded piece of paper leaning against the bottle. He sets down his keys and the rose and takes the note. He unfolds it and on it is one word: Upstairs. He smiles and looks up toward the loft. He takes off his glasses and sets them and the paper down. He runs his fingers through his hair, takes the bottle, looks at it, takes the two glasses and starts up the stairs. The opera music gets louder as he nears the loft. The camera follows his footsteps as he climbs the stairs. There is a rose on each step. When he reaches the top he is smiling. He sees Jenny on the bed, but she isn't moving, and his smile quickly fades. The opera reaches a crescendo as he drops the bottle and glasses, and they shatter on the floor. He continues to look at Jenny's body. Her dead eyes stare back at him.
Cut to later. Giles is leaning on the wall by his front door staring blankly into space. The coroners take Jenny's body away. A police officer approaches him.
Officer: Mr. Giles, I need to ask you to come with us. Just to answer a few questions.
Giles: (still staring blankly) Of course. Yes. Procedure. (looks at the officer) I need to make a phone call... if that's all right. The officer looks over at the phone and back at him, giving him tacit permission.
Giles: (whispers) Yes. (goes to the phone)
Cut to Buffy's house. Angelus is looking into the dining room through the window from the porch. Buffy and Willow walk through it and into the living room.
Angelus: (narrates) Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. The telephone rings, and Buffy runs back into the dining room to get it. She picks it up from the phone stand and turns so Angelus can see her face.
Buffy: Hello. Giles, hey! We did the, the thing. It worked. What? As she listens to Giles her expression becomes increasingly blank. She lowers the phone from her ear. Willow is there now, too, and takes the phone from Buffy.
Willow: Giles? Buffy leans against the wall and slides down against it into a crouch.
Willow: What? No! (puts the phone down) No! (begins to cry uncontrollably) Noooo! Angelus gloats as he looks into the window. Joyce comes into the dining room when she hears the crying and holds Willow. Buffy looks off into space, then finally lowers her head onto her knees. Angelus smiles and leaves.
Cut to later. Cordelia and Xander drive up to Buffy and Willow, who are waiting for them. Xander opens the passenger door and gets out.
Buffy: Where's Giles?
Xander: No luck. By the time we got to the station, (closes the door) the cops said he'd already left. (Cordelia closes her door) I guess they just wanted to ask him some questions.
Buffy: Cordelia, will you drive us to Giles' house?
Cordelia: Of course.
Willow: But don't you think he wants to be left alone?
Buffy: I'm not worrying about what he wants. I'm worried about what he's gonna do. They all get into the car.
Cut to Giles' apartment. The camera sweeps down the stairs. The roses have all been trampled and broken. The camera turns the corner of the staircase and sweeps across the area below. Giles' weapons chest is open and almost empty. He walks across the camera's path, drawing a sword. The camera continues around the room, over to his old Victrola, where the opera record has played out but is still spinning. The camera pulls back past the desk where Giles has a large bag sitting open with various weapons stashed inside. He adds a small can of gasoline, grabs the bag and heads out of the apartment. The camera closes in on the desk and pans down to a pencil sketch of Jenny lying dead on the bed. ~~~~~~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~~~~~~ Giles' apartment. Xander pushes the door open. A piece of yellow crime scene tape is stretched across the doorway.
Xander: Hello? Giles? He ducks under the tape and comes in. Willow and the others follow. Xander goes over to the desk and looks around.
Xander: I guess Giles had a big night planned tonight.
Buffy: (picks up the sketch of Jenny) Giles didn't set this up. Angel did. (hands Xander the sketch) This is the wrapping for the gift. (heads upstairs)
Xander: Oh, man. (exhales) Poor Giles. Willow finds the nearly empty weapons chest.
Willow: Look, all his weapons are gone.
Cordelia: But I thought he kept his weapons at the library.
Xander: No, those are his, uh, everyday weapons. These were his good weapons. The ones he, uh, breaks out when company comes to visit. Buffy comes back downstairs and stops on the corner landing.
Willow: So he's not here.
Cordelia: Well, then where is he?
Buffy: He'll go to wherever Angel is. Xander turns to face the girls.
Willow: That means the factory, right?
Cordelia: So Giles is gonna try to kill Angel then?
Xander: Well, it's about time somebody did.
Willow: Xander!
Xander: I'm sorry, but let's not forget that I hated Angel long before you guys jumped on the bandwagon. So I think I deserve a little something for not saying 'I told you so' long before now. And if Giles wants to go after the, uh, (looks up at Buffy) fiend that murdered his girlfriend, I say, 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!' (looks back at Willow and Cordelia)
Buffy: You're right. Willow and Cordelia look up at Buffy.
Xander: Thank you.
Buffy: (takes the rest of the steps down) There's only one thing wrong with Giles' little revenge scenario.
Xander: And what's that?
Buffy: It's gonna get him killed.
Cut to Spike's warehouse. Angelus is being lectured.
Spike: Are you insane?! We're supposed to kill the bitch, not leave gag gifts in the friends' beds.
Drusilla: (cuddles her puppy) But, Spike, the bad teacher was going to restore Angel's soul.
Spike: What if she did? If you ask me, I find myself preferring the old Buffy-whipped Angelus. This new, improved one is not playing with a full sack. (gets a look from Angelus) I love a good slaughter as much as the next bloke, but his little pranks will only leave us with one incredibly brassed-off Slayer!
Angelus: Don't worry, roller boy. I've got everything under control. A Molotov cocktail swooshes in and bursts on the table, setting it ablaze. Drusilla runs away with Spike wheeling right behind her. They stop out of reach of the flames. Angelus cuts across at the end of the table and gets hit in the shoulder with a crossbow bolt. He grabs it to pull it out while looking to see who his attacker is. Giles walks toward him with a baseball bat. Angelus pulls the bolt out and throws it aside. Giles puts the end of the bat into the flames, and it catches fire. He swings it and hits Angelus in the face, then again on the return swing. Angelus staggers and bends down.
Angelus: Jeez, whatever happened to wooden stakes? Giles whales on Angelus' back several times. Drusilla makes a move to intervene, but is held back by Spike.
Spike: Uh-uh. No fair going into the ring unless he tags you first. Angelus stands back up, but Giles swings the bat into his face twice again, making him fall once more. He continues beating on him, making Angelus collapse all the way to the floor. Angelus tries to get up, but Giles swings into his jaw from underneath. He wields the still burning bat over his head, but as he brings it down Angelus catches it, and they begin to struggle. Angelus quickly gains the upper hand, and takes Giles by the throat, lifting him off of his feet. He drops the bat.
Angelus: All right. You've had your fun. But you know what it's time for now? He gets kicked in the back by Buffy and lets Giles fall to the floor. She pulls him back and slams him into the spiral staircase.
Buffy: My fun. She kicks him in the face and then shoves him onto the floor. Drusilla quickly wheels Spike away. Buffy kicks Angelus in the face again as he tries to get up, and then lunges at him. He grabs her, flips her over and tries to get away up the stairs. Buffy gets back to her feet fast with Giles' dropped baseball bat in hand and pushes it between the stair railings to trip Angelus up. He falls and she grabs one of his legs. He kicks out at her with it and knocks her off of him and onto the floor. He scrambles up the stairs. Buffy gets up quickly. She sees a stack of crates, runs up it to the catwalk above, and meets Angelus there. He swings at her, but she ducks and kicks him in the back of the knee, making him collapse onto the railing. She grabs a loop of rope, throws it around his neck and yanks him back and forth between the railings several times, then kicks him in the chest, making him stagger back and fall onto his butt. He gets up fast, but she grabs onto a pipe above her head and swings with both feet into his chest again, making him fly back into a barrel and some ducting. She waits on the catwalk for him to come at her again, ready to fight. He charges, and she takes him and diverts him past her and onto the catwalk grating, where he lands with his head against one of the vertical railing bars. She kicks his face, and follows up with several punches and another kick. He starts to laugh as she grabs him by the coat and bangs his head into the railing a couple of times.
Angelus: Are you gonna let your old man just burn? She looks down and sees the flames getting higher and nearer to Giles. Angelus takes advantage of the distraction and grabs her legs, lifts her and throws her over the railing. She manages to control her fall and land on her feet near Giles. Angelus takes off down the catwalk and out of the building. Buffy wakes Giles and gets him to his feet, and she supports him as they make their way from the building also. Cut outside. They both come out coughing from the smoke. He pushes her away from him.
Giles: Why did you come here?! This wasn't your fight! She punches him in the jaw, and he spins and falls to the pavement.
Buffy: Are you trying to get yourself killed?! She begins to cry and crouches down to hug him. He cries and hugs her back.
Buffy: You can't leave me. I can't do this alone.
Cut to Giles' apartment building. Cut to his door, still with the crime scene tape across it.
Angelus: (narrates) It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. Giles tears the tape from his doorway and just stares at it for several seconds.
Angelus: (narrates) If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Giles enters his apartment.
Angelus: (narrates) Empty rooms, shuttered and dank...
Cut to the cemetery. The camera pans across a small pond.
Angelus: (narrates) Without passion, we'd be truly dead. The camera pans past Jenny's gravestone. Giles kneels down and lays some flowers on her grave. He looks at her name on the headstone for a moment before standing back up. Buffy is there next to him.
Giles: In my years as... Watcher... I've buried... too many people. But Jenny was the first I've loved.
Buffy: (looks up at him) I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't kill him for you... (looks down at the grave) for her... when I had the chance.
Cut to a shot of the gravestone. It reads just 'Jennifer Calendar'.
Buffy: I wasn't ready.
Cut to Jenny's classroom. The students all wait at their desks for the teacher to arrive. Willow walks in and stands at the front of the room.
Buffy: (voiceover) But I think I finally am.
Willow: Hi. Principal Snyder asked me to fill in for Ms. Calendar... u- until the new computer science teacher arrives. So I'm just gonna stick to the lesson plan she left. She walks around to the front of the desk and looks over the books and things that are there.
Buffy: (narrates) I can't hold on to the past anymore. Angel has gone. Nothing's ever gonna bring him back. Willow puts down her own books, and in the process nudges a few books aside a little. As a result the yellow disk that Jenny had set next to the books gets pushed off of the edge. It falls between the desk and the small filing cabinet next to it. It hits the floor and spins around a few times before coming to rest leaning against the side of the cabinet.
Plan: A: high gear; Q: How does Angelus kick his terror campaign against Buffy and her friends? A: his next target; Q: What does Angelus lead Buffy and her friends to believe Joyce is? A: progress; Q: What does Jenny make in her Romani Ritual of Restoration? A: Buffy's terse blessing; Q: What helps Jenny get back together with Giles? A: their various homes; Q: Where do Jenny and Giles work with Buffy and Willow to ritually revoke Angel's invitations into? A: tragic results; Q: What happens when Angelus takes his anger out on Jenny? Summary: Angelus kicks his terror campaign against Buffy and her friends into high gear, leading them to believe Joyce is his next target. Jenny makes progress rediscovering the Romani Ritual of Restoration and, with Buffy's terse blessing, gets back together with Giles. Jenny and Giles also work with Buffy and Willow to ritually revoke Angel's invitations into their various homes. Angelus takes his anger out on Jenny with tragic results.