07x12 - Potential

[bunniefuu]

RECAP:

GILES (V.O.)

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

1 INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dawn's sitting on the living room floor in front of the couch, hugging a pillow, amid the destruction from her earlier encounter. Willow comes to talk to her.

WILLOW

Dawn, what happened here?

DAWN

I saw Mom.

WILLOW

It's the Big Bad, Dawn. The one we knew was coming.

2 INT. BASEMENT AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Spike hands and feet chained to the wall. He lunges at Buffy, who stares him straight in the eyes.

BUFFY

(in his face) I believe in you, Spike.

Spike looks at her with a face full of hope and amazement. Just then, the lights flicker and go out. Someone bursts into the basement and pushes Buffy away from Spike. She falls to the ground.

Cut to:

3 INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Robed men break into the house from all angles, smashing windows and breaking down doors. Covered head to toe in long, black, hooded robes, these people have batons and no eyes

Cut to:

4 INT. BASEMENT AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Buffy goes down the stairs to the basement, followed by Xander. She stops dead in her tracks when she sees the empty shackles that Spike was supposed to be in.

BUFFY

They were after Spike all along.

Cut to:

5 INT. BASEMENT AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Spike is tied to the wheel-like construct with all four corners of his body pulled in opposite directions. Spike's body has symbols carved into his chest. Spike/First morphs into Buffy's form. A Harbinger cranks a wheel attached to a mechanism that hoists the wheel Spike's tied to into the air. Spike is now hanging from the wheel about ten feet from the ground, bleeding steadily from his ritualized symbol-shaped cuts.

BUFFY (V.O.)

You know what we're up against. The First.

BUFFY/FIRST

Now, Spike, wanna see what a real vampire looks like?

Spike's blood is falling on the Seal of Danthazar that's right below him. It's pooling in the grooves and being absorbed into the seal. The seal starts to glow. One by one, the pointed tips of the pentagram at its center fold up, forming a pyramid. Light comes out from under it. The pyramid sinks into the ground. The remaining pieces of the seal follow suit. A monster climbs out wearing black leather. Pan up to show its horrible d*sfigured face. It's bald with a distinct vampire forehead and brows and trademark fanged teeth. It looks gaunt, with extremely hollow cheekbones. It raises its hands toward the sky and looks around the room, growling menacingly.

Cut to:

6 EXT. STREET IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT

The UberVamp has caught up to Buffy, grabbing her from behind and throwing her into a concrete wall. She steps back, still standing, as the UberVamp literally crawls up the wall to gain momentum and height to kick her in the face, knocking Buffy to the ground. Then he kicks her in the head again before grabbing her arm and throwing Buffy through a concrete block wall. The wall crumbles down on top of her, the roof caves in, and there's blackness.

GILES (V.O.)

As Neanderthals are to human beings, the Turok-Han are to vampires—ferociously powerful k*lling machines, as single-minded as animals.

Cut to:

7 INT. KITCHEN AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Buffy and Giles are in the kitchen talking to the three slayers in training, who are already up and eating breakfast.

GILES

They are the vampires that vampires fear.

Cut to:

8 INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Buffy opens the front door to leave, but sees Giles standing there on her front porch when she opens it. Buffy goes to hug Giles, but is cut off when three girls she's never met walk right into her house.

MOLLY

(in a Cockney British accent) Nice place. Bit of a mess. (walks inside the house)

Cut to:

9 INT. LIVING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Dawn's standing in front of the three girls Giles brought with him. The three girls are lined up against the wall, and Dawn's inspecting them, arms crossed in front of her.

DAWN

They're all slayers?

GILES

Potential slayers. Waiting for one to be called. There were many more like them all over the world, but, um, now there's just a handful, and they're all on their way to Sunnydale.

Cut to:

10 EXT. SUNNYDALE BUS STATION - NIGHT

A charter bus opens its doors, and a couple of people walk down the steps to exit the vehicle. The last person to exit is a young African-American girl, wearing denim overalls and carrying a backpack. She looks around.

Cut to:

11 INT. WILLOW'S BEDROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Kennedy is lying on the foot of the bed, with one arm bent at the elbow, propping her head up on her hand, talking to Willow, who's on the floor in a sleeping bag.

KENNEDY

Right. How many girls arriving this time?

WILLOW

Just one. But since Giles has the coven searching for other slayers in waiting, I bet we'll be seeing a lot more soon enough.

Cut to:

12 EXT. SUNNYDALE BUS STATION - NIGHT

When Rona looks up, she sees two black-robed, hooded, eyeless men, the bringers, coming toward her with knives in their hands. She backs up against the wall, panicked and breathing heavily, and sinks down to the ground. Just then, the pair of bringers between the buses is lifted off the ground and goes flying apart, revealing Buffy, who had thrown them to the ground. Buffy walks up to Rona, who is still cowering on the ground.

BUFFY

Rona, right? (Rona nods)

RONA

(takes Buffy's hand, stands) You're her!

Cut to:

13 INT. DINING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Willow is talking to Buffy and Xander.

WILLOW

Another potential arrived in town the day before yesterday.

Cut to:

14 EXT. SUN SPOT MOTEL - DAY

Buffy and Xander walk up to Room 25.

Cut to:

15 INT. SUN SPOT MOTEL - DAY

Buffy kicks the door in and enters, followed by Xander. She sees a girl lying on the floor, face down in a pool of blood. Buffy kneels to touch her, and looks back up at Xander.

BUFFY

She's cold. Been dead for days.

XANDER

Poor kid. She made it all the way to Sunnydale just to get herself k*lled. (Buffy rolls the girl over)

BUFFY

(looks at the girl's face) Eve.

XANDER

Eve, who's in our house?

Buffy and Xander stare at each other, wide-eyed and incredulous.

Cut to:

16 INT. BASEMENT AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Buffy rushes down the stairs to the basement.

BUFFY

Get away from them.

DAWN

Buffy, what did Eve do?

XANDER

That's not Eve.

All the girls stand and back away from Eve. Eve stands and faces Buffy.

EVE/FIRST

One more down. Oh, well, can't save 'em all, can ya, Buffy? Bye.

Eve disappears in a flash of light (like a television being turned off).

Cut to:

17 EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - NIGHT

Buffy's fighting the Turok-Han. The Turok-Han pushes her into the wall of the construction office trailer. Buffy falls to the ground. Buffy keeps going and finally injures and overpowers it. Buffy grabs some nearby barbed wire and slips it around the Turok-Han's throat. It falls to the ground, and Buffy pulls on the wire hard enough to sever its head. The Turok-Han explodes in a cloud of dust in front of her.

BUFFY

(to the slayers-in-training) I don't know what's coming next, but I do know it's gonna be just like this. Painful. Believe it, we'll be the ones left standing.

Cut to:

18 INT. UNDERGROUND CAVE - NIGHT

Still shackled to the rocky cave wall, Spike sees someone walking toward him. White-shirted, but and bruised Buffy is standing before him holding a bringer's Kn*fe in her hand. Buffy approaches him slowly and cuts him loose of his chains. He collapses forward and catches himself, bracing with his hand on her shoulder. When he touches her and realizes she's real, he smiles and squints, searching her face. She looks into his eyes, tapping an emotional connection between them.

SPIKE

You. Oh.

He puts his arm around her, and she puts her arm around his waist. Although Spike is weak and limping, they walk out of the cave together.

Fade to black.

End Recap.

The Start Of Episode

PROLOGUE:

19 EXT. SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

Rona and Vi are walking through the cemetery nervously, holding stakes, being as quiet as they can be.

Something behind them steps on a branch and makes a cracking sound, and the girls turn to look. It's Spike—in vampire visage. He punches Rona to the ground. Vi tries to stake him, but Spike catches her hand and grabs her, and twists her arm behind her back. He puts his arm around her throat, growls and goes to bite her neck. Vi screams. Spike stops before biting her, looks up, and lets his vamp face fade away. Vi squeaks with fright. Still holding her, he looks up, and talks to people in front of him.

SPIKE

OK, these two are dead. Why?

RONA

(stands, dusts herself off, to Spike) 'Cause the black chick always gets it first?

VI

(to Spike) Ow!

BUFFY

What was that, Rona?

RONA

I'm dead because he's a vampire. I don't have slayer strength, slayer speed—i-it wasn't a fair fight.

SPIKE

(still holding his arm to her neck) Vi, do you think I care about a fair fight?

VI

(tentatively) No, no sir. You don't play by the rules, and I have learned a valuable lesson of some sort. (Spike twists her arm behind her back) Ow!

BUFFY

OK, Spike. (he lets Vi go; she walks up to Molly and Kennedy who are standing near Buffy) You're right. You don't have slayer strength. But that doesn't mean that you're not strong. You have inherent abilities that others do not have.

MOLLY

(taking notes on a pad) Not like you do.

BUFFY

No, not yet, but it's there. You have the potential. You have strength, speed, instinct. You just have to learn to trust yourself. Rona, what did your instincts tell you to do just then?

RONA

(half-heartedly) Block his att*ck, keep him off balance, gain the advantage...?

BUFFY

No, they didn't.

RONA

(frankly) They told me to run.

BUFFY

Vi?

VI

(rubbing her wrist) They told me to run. They're still sort of telling me to run.

BUFFY

Don't fight on his terms. Your gut's telling them to run, run. OK? Regain the higher ground. Make the fight your own. Spike, what did your instincts tell you to do just then?

SPIKE

Hunt. k*ll.

BUFFY

(walks out in front of the girls) Come at me, (Spike raises his eyebrows and smiles a little) full speed. (to slayers-in-training) He needs to k*ll to live. That tells you everything you need to know.

Spike growls and lunges at Buffy. She ducks, and he ends up lunging face-first into a headstone. He falls to the ground, lying flat on his back, and Buffy straddles him, holding one hand to his throat and pointing a stake above his heart with the other.

BUFFY

(to slayers-in-training) Instinct. Understand his, but trust yours. You were chosen for a reason. (Spike groans softly, to Spike) Are you OK? (lets go of his throat)

SPIKE

I'm... fine. (tries to sit up) Couple of ribs ain't quite set right since— I'm fine.

BUFFY

Lemme see. (lifts up his shirt a little to inspect his ribs)

SPIKE

No, it's just—

BUFFY

(sweetly, concerned) Spike. (touches his skin)

SPIKE

(reaches for her hand, holds it) I'm gonna be OK.

RONA

That's hot.

MOLLY

(still taking notes) So, we're supposed to, like, make out with them or something?

VI

(still rubbing her wrist and holding a stake) Careful, Buffy. Just when you think it's part of the lesson, he'll (gestures to her hurt wrist) hurt your arm.

BUFFY

(stands, offers her hand to Spike, helps him stand) Molly, Kennedy, let's go. You're up. Next lesson.

Fade to black.

Opening credits.

ACT I:

20 INT. BASEMENT AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Buffy, carrying a battle-axe, is pacing back and forth disapprovingly in front of the girls while they chatter. Rona and Kennedy are talking, and Molly and Vi are talking. Dawn's sitting on the stairs, watching them through the stair rail.

RONA

No way. One armed pushups are bull.

KENNEDY

I can do 'em. I can do the kinda way you clap between.

RONA

I'm more of a chin up kinda girl. I can do chin-ups 'til the cows come home.

VI

You're saying demon, and I don't mean to ... Oh, bananas! Imagine yourself covered in human viscera... (Molly and Vi giggle and squeal as they continue talking)

Buffy stops pacing and hurls the battle-axe at the bull's-eye target hung on the wall. The axe point lands in the center, a perfect bull's-eye. Everyone stops talking and looks at her, a little frightened. She glares at them sternly.

BUFFY

You're all gonna die. But you knew that already. (paces in front of them) 'Cause that's the cool reward for being human. Big dessert at the end of the meal. Don't kid yourselves, you guys. This whole thing is all about death. (stands still) You think you're different 'cause you might be the next slayer? Death is what a slayer breathes, what a slayer dreams about when she sleeps. Death is what a slayer lives. My death could make you the next slayer. (walks back to retrieve her axe from the target) Oh, goody. Rapt attention. I love that so much. (pulls out the axe) Now, where was I? Ah. (sets down the axe, walks back to the front) If we go with what Anya's resources are telling us, then The First is in remission for a while, which we think means advantage us.

RONA

Well, what does that mean? About The First?

BUFFY

(crosses her arms) As best we can tell, he—or precisely "it"—was putting a lot of stock in that UberVamp thing, the Chaka Khan.

DAWN

(from the stairs) Turok-Han?

BUFFY

(doesn't acknowledge Dawn, pacing) So when I kicked its ass, the whole Firsty circus decided to back off for a while. Good news? Means we probably don't have to worry about it pulling Spike's strings for a while. (stands still) Here's the half-empty. Time away means time to regroup. And part of that regrouping is coming back stronger than ever. The odds are against us. Time is against us. And some of us will die in this battle. Decide now that it's not going to be you. (walks closer to the girls) I know you're all tired, far away from home, anxious. But you're all special. Most people in this world have no idea why they're here or what they want to do. You do. You have a mission, a reason for being here. You're not here by chance. You're here because you are the chosen ones. (turns, walks upstairs, commenting on the way) Dawn, you better hurry up and eat something so you're not late for school.

Cut to:

21 INT. BUFFY'S CUBICLE AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY

Buffy's sitting at her desk, talking on the telephone in her cubicle.

BUFFY

Xander, I know. I'm sorry—If you're gonna take a shower at my house, lock the door. Of course they're curious. (a student walks up to her cubicle, Buffy gestures and mouths "oh, come in") Hey, I gotta go. Uh, has Giles checked in yet? (Amanda sits in a chair across from Buffy) I thought he was picking up that Chao-Ahn girl in Shanghai yesterday. OK, well, uh, let me know if he does. Bye. (hangs up, sighs) Amanda, right? I'm all yours.

AMANDA

Do people ever think you're weird?

BUFFY

Um, (flutters eyelashes, shrugs) I guess. Sure, in a charming, endearing, loveable... Yeah.

AMANDA

I feel like people think I'm weird, and so they pick on me. But I might be—weird.

BUFFY

(chuckles) Amanda, why do you think that you're weird?

AMANDA

One of the boys who picks on me, I kind of—See, if a guy picks on you, is it weird to think he's cute?

BUFFY

(grins uncomfortably, leans back in her chair) Oh.. (sighs)

AMANDA

It's just, the last few times I've seen him, I've wanted to, you know, pick on him...extra. More.

BUFFY

(stifles a laugh) Uh-huh.

AMANDA

The thing is, I can't tell. My mom says when a guy teases you, it means he likes you.

BUFFY

(nods) Sometimes that's true.

AMANDA

Is it weird? We're mean to each other, and we like each other.

BUFFY

Well, it depends. Sometimes that's how people relate. Being mean to each other. Even mortal enemies— (increasingly emphatic) Then with the— And that leads to no good, absolutely no good. And much confusion. A-and then it's over. Absolutely, seriously, definitely over. And that's confusing too. The over part. Which it is. Over! (catches herself, calms a bit) So, maybe.

Amanda looks somewhat confused. Buffy smiles.

Cut to:

22 INT. LIVING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Buffy comes home through the front door only to find Vi and Rona in a loud discussion with Xander. Andrew's also in the room. Xander appears to be chastising the girls and gesturing emphatically to the destruction that surrounds him. The cushions and chairs are on the floor, furniture is broken—even the pictures on the walls are crooked.

XANDER

...there might be an appropriate place to do that, like maybe outside.

ANDREW

(yelling) Why do we always have to yell?

BUFFY

(crosses her arms and scowls) I was only gone a couple of hours.

WILLOW

(walks in from the dining room) Buffy?

BUFFY

(cocks her head and smirks at the arguers) Oh, look everybody. It's Willow. Perhaps with a blunt w*apon of some sort.

WILLOW

Buffy, we just got news. (turns back to the dining room, Buffy follows)

Cut to:

23 INT. DINING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Anya are gathered around the dining room table. Andrew is standing behind Xander, and Dawn is leaning on a door jamb.

BUFFY

And she's sure?

WILLOW

Positive. Althenea said the seers located another potential slayer here in Sunnydale. Someone that already lives here.

BUFFY

(sighs) Oh, God...

ANYA

All these girls flocking to town, and this one's already here and under our noses?

XANDER

Wait, the seers couldn't find out her name or, like, her address or anything? Am I getting the definition of seer wrong?

BUFFY

I was gonna take the girls out tonight, a little show and tell, but maybe now I shouldn't.

ANDREW

They were so excited. (softly) You're gonna break their little hearts.

BUFFY

This town is lousy with Bringers. I don't want to risk that they find this new girl first.

WILLOW

No, you should go. I can do a spell to find her tonight. I just have to get together a few ingredients. But you-you shouldn't skip your training, it's too important.

BUFFY

(looks at Willow) You think you can handle it?

XANDER

No problemo.

DAWN

(fidgets in the doorway) Yeah, and you guys have more important things to do.

BUFFY

(doesn't acknowledge Dawn) OK, I'll take 'em.

ANDREW

(pumps his fist) Yes!

BUFFY

Andrew, (shakes head) you're not going.

Andrew grunts softly as his expression deflates into a pout.

Cut to:

24 INT. KITCHEN AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Molly, Vi, and Rona are going through the pile weapons that are laid out on the island countertop.

MOLLY

(picks up a crossbow) Ooh, crossbow! Got to love it. (points it around the kitchen) Feels like I'm storming a castle.

RONA

You do a lot of that, do you?

MOLLY

I might, I had a beauty like this. (Dawn walks into the kitchen, Molly points the crossbow at her) Halt!

DAWN

OK, see, that's why we don't point the weapons in the kitchen.

VI

It's not loaded.

DAWN

That's always the lead quote under the headline "Household Crossbow Accident Claims Teen".

VI

Oh, a mace! (picks up a mace)

DAWN

(rolls her eyes) Yeah, that's better.

RONA

(picks up a stake) Gotta go with the stake. It's classic. I like the feel of wood in my hand.

KENNEDY

(walks into the kitchen) Lost me there. (sees the pile of weapons) Hey, we gearing up already?

DAWN

Oh, right. You guys are going on your little group patrol.

VI

More than that, it's an outing.

KENNEDY

(picks up a dagger, smiling) I'm thinking tonight we might actually get to k*ll things.

DAWN

I-I've k*lled things sometimes.

Buffy walks into the kitchen, followed by Andrew.

ANDREW

(whining) I'm not begging.

BUFFY

You're like a small dog dancing for Snausages.

ANDREW

You don't want me coming along 'cause you think I'm evil.

VI

He doesn't seem evil, exactly.

BUFFY

(crosses her arms) He's not evil, but when he gets close to it, he picks up its flavor like a mushroom or something.

ANDREW

But I'm reformed. I'm like Vegeta on Dragonball Z. I used to be a pure Sayan, and now I fight for the side of Goku.

BUFFY

(shakes her head) Still not coming.

ANDREW

(whining) It's not fair. Spike just k*lled people, and he gets to go.

BUFFY

Spike didn't have free will and you did.

ANDREW

(sighs) I hate my free will.

SPIKE

(enters the kitchen) This is where you're all hiding. You ready to go, or what? (the girls greet him)

BUFFY

Let's go, girls. Grab your weapons.

Rona, Vi, Kennedy and Molly each grab a w*apon and follow Buffy and Spike out of the house.

RONA

All right. Let's do it. I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to kick some serious...

ANDREW

(to Dawn) You wanna play Dragonball Z? (Dawn just glares at him)

Cut to:

25 INT. LIVING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Willow, Dawn, and Andrew are gathered around the coffee table, taking inventory of Willow's spell ingredients.

WILLOW

OK, I got my tumbleweed, my eggs...got my chrysalises—chrysali? My butterfly transformer pods. Hey, wh-where's my snakeskin?

ANDREW

(holding the snakeskin as if it were a live snake and hissing) At your ssssservice, Miss Rosenberg, ssssir. (Willow stares disapprovingly, Andrew hands the skin to her) Can you imagine if every once in a while, people just wriggled out of their skin and left it behind them like—like on the sidewalk. Talk about embarrassing.

DAWN

(to Willow) Hey, do you think this girl, this potential, goes to Sunnydale?

WILLOW

Hmm. Well, I guess probably, huh? I mean, she's got to be about that age.

DAWN

Could be anybody. Could be that glamazon in gym class, what's her name? Oh, my lab partner, Margot, the freak. Boy, I hope not, because she totally fainted right in the middle of our fetal pig dissection. Somehow I just don't think she's cut out for the slayage biz.

ANDREW

(pained) k*lling pigs is just so wrong. (nods knowingly) And also hard. (Dawn looks at him funny)

WILLOW

Well, we'll know soon enough who the next potential is. Somebody's life is about to change.

DAWN

How long will it take? Will we find out who it is right away?

WILLOW

Pretty much. The spell will conjure up this brilliant light, a-and the light will find the potential and it'll illuminate her with a glowing aura.

ANDREW

Cool.

WILLOW

I've enchanted this map (gestures to a map on the coffee table) so we can track her basic location. We'll have to hot-foot it, but I'm betting we find her tonight.

DAWN

You know, if it is Margot, she's so gonna faint.

Later now, Willow is sitting in front of the lit fireplace. She's got a mortar and pestle on the hearth and her ingredients are laid out. Dawn, Anya and Xander are also in the room. As she recites the spell, Willow throws each item she mentions into the fire.

WILLOW

To light the aura of the new, skin of snake and chrysalis too.

To indicate the fresh reborn, tumbleweed and rosebush thorn.

An egg that means the life to come.

Take this, oh spirit, and my spell is done.

As Willow finishes the spell recitation, an orange haze emanates from the fireplace. Everyone in the room wrinkles up their noses and starts coughing.

XANDER

Oh, good God, what is that smell?

ANYA

(covering her nose with her hand) I'm fairly sure that's the smell of a hardboiled egg being thrown into a fire.

XANDER

Uh-huh.

WILLOW

(covering her mouth and nose with her hand) The smell will lead us to the potential.

XANDER

Or some poor soul who ate too many chimichangas.

WILLOW

She'll also be lit with a brilliant aura.

The orange haze from the fire has gathered in the center of the room, making a mass of glowing light. Willow, Anya, Dawn and Xander are standing in a circle almost, and the light is moving around in the middle of their circle.

DAWN

Is it supposed to be shimmying all over like that?

WILLOW

I don't know. I don't think so.

ANYA

So you messed up the spell again. At least it smells, you know, other-worldly. (Willow looks at her, hurt. Anya realizes this and changes the subject, pointing to the light) Oh, look, pretty.

WILLOW

I suck. I'm sorry, you guys, I— Maybe we could figure something out on the computer?

DAWN

Good call. I'm gonna open the door and let this place air out. (waves at the air in front of her as she walks to the front door)

XANDER

(walks up to Willow, puts his arm around her) Don't worry, Will. It's really no big.

WILLOW

I just—I was sure that it was gonna work.

Suddenly, the mass of light congeals and forms into a solid beam and heads straight for Dawn.

WILLOW

Dawn!

The light hits Dawn with such a force that it picks her up and pins her to the door. The light goes straight into her, then she drops to the ground, her chest still glowing orange. Somewhat disoriented, Dawn looks at Willow, Xander, and Anya with wide eyes.

WILLOW

(staring at Dawn) I think it worked.

Fade to black.

ACT II:

26 INT. LIVING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Resume. Dawn collapses at the door.

XANDER

(goes to her side) Dawn!

WILLOW

(Willow and Anya step forward) Dawn, are you OK?

DAWN

(stands, walks into the living room, the others follow) Maybe y-you did it wrong? Was it a-ambiguous in any way? Did you maybe say potential sailors? 'Cause I-I do like the water.

WILLOW

I did it right.

XANDER

(staring at her) Wow, she—you're a potential. You could be the next slayer.

DAWN

(eyes growing wider) Whoa. (goes to sit on the sofa)

ANYA

(kneels in front of her) Wow, it's like one second you were this klutzy teenager with fake memories and a history of kleptomania, and then—then suddenly you're a hero, a hero with a much abbreviated lifespan.

XANDER

This is huge. We have to think about this.

DAWN

I-I can't think about this. (stands, paces) It doesn't fit in my head.

WILLOW

A slayer. Makes sense, I guess. Remember that thing about they share the same blood or whatever?

ANYA

(shrugs) Yeah, I never got that.

DAWN

She has to die. (sits on a chair) I mean, if I was ever the slayer, it would mean she d*ed.

ANYA

Well, it's a lot like being the Pope in that way, except you don't have to be some old Catholic.

WILLOW

I've got to call Buffy. She's gonna be so excited. (goes to the phone)

XANDER

(blocks her) No, we can't. She didn't bring a cell phone.

DAWN

Well, sure, 'cause all the important people are with her.

XANDER

(points to Dawn) You are important now.

DAWN

(stands) Wh-wha-what happens now?

ANYA

Well, you could start by maybe sitting still for a sec.

DAWN

(paces) I-I cant. I-I need to know what happens to my life.

WILLOW

Well, I guess Buffy trains you.

DAWN

Right, I train with the potentials—other potentials. Learn to do the stuff they're learning.

ANYA

Right, we also have to protect you from the, uh, eyeless guys, the ones with the sharp, sharp knives.

DAWN

Bringers.

WILLOW

It's OK, we'll protect you.

DAWN

(worried) What if they saw the spell?

XANDER

Saw the spell? Dawn, they can't see flashcards. Big ones.

DAWN

(getting upset) We did a big orange powerful spell. What if they sensed it? What if they're on their way?

ANDREW

(enters the room) Are we gonna replace the microwave? 'Cause I was thinking some Orville Redenbacher with fresh butter flavor— What's going on?

ANYA

Dawn's gonna be a slayer.

ANDREW

Holy crap! (Xander gives him a look) Excuse me. Plucked from an ordinary life, handed a destiny—

XANDER

(points at Andrew) Say Skywalker, and I smack ya.

ANDREW

Does Buffy know?

XANDER

She didn't take her phone.

ANDREW

Incommunicado.

WILLOW

Well, we'll tell her soon as she gets back.

DAWN

Let's not.

WILLOW

What? Dawn, she has to know.

DAWN

I-I know, just not right away. Guys, when mom appeared to me, she said—

WILLOW

Dawnie...

DAWN

No, please. She said something about Buffy, and I'm thinking... I'm just not so sure Buffy will be happy for me.

WILLOW

Of course she will.

DAWN

Will she? I mean, I'm not even sure I'm happy for me. Everything's different for me now.

ANYA

That's because you're a part of something larger. Like being swallowed. By something larger.

DAWN

(stands) This-this is too much for my head again. (runs upstairs) I can't. I—I need to be—

XANDER

Nice job with the "getting swallowed" analogy.

ANYA

Well, it is a mixed bag, you know. If she gets to be the slayer, then her life is short and brutal. And if she doesn't, then it smells of unfulfilled potential. My swallowed analogy looks pretty sweet right now, doesn't it?

WILLOW

It's not like that. It's like, she's part of this huge power. I know what that feels like. It feels wonderful.

ANDREW

Yes, Willow so captured it. It's like—well, it's almost like this metaphor for womanhood, isn't it? The sort of flowering that happens when a girl realizes that she's part of a fertile heritage stretching back to Eve, and—

XANDER

(covers his face with his hands, then gestures to Andrew) I'll pay you to talk about Star Wars again.

ANYA

This isn't about womany power. This is about the fact that Dawn just might have bought herself an early death.

WILLOW

We don't know that.

XANDER

Right, all we know is that everything just changed.

Cut to:

26a INT. DAWN'S ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

From the door to her room, Dawn listens to the others argue downstairs.

WILLOW (O.S.)

Someone should go find Buffy. I still think she needs to know.

XANDER (O.S.)

Hey, Will, what if she doesn't like it?

WILLOW (O.S.)

Are you worried about what Dawn said? About the ghost? Xander, we don't even know if that really was Joyce. And we don't know what she meant about Buffy.

Cut to:

XANDER

I'm not talking about that. I mean, what do you think Buffy's going to do with this information? Jump up and down? Teach Dawn the secret handshake? She know what this means.

ANYA

Short, brutal life. Sharp, sharp knives. I covered this.

XANDER

Right. You think Buffy really wants that for Dawn? And besides, Dawn doesn't want us telling her yet.

Cut to:

26b INT. DAWN'S ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dawn walks to her mirror and stares while listening to the others talk downstairs.

WILLOW (O.S.)

Dawn's freaking out. Her input—not worth that much right now.

ANYA (O.S.)

She's a child. Of course she can't handle this.

XANDER (O.S.)

Hey, something out there says she can handle this and a hell of a lot more. Something out there chose her.

DAWN

I'm chosen.

WILLOW (O.S.)

Sure, she can handle it. Is that why she's hiding out in her room right now?

XANDER (O.S.)

She's just getting used to it. Let it happen. She doesn't have to rush.

Cut to:

ANYA

He's right. We shouldn't rush her. Rushing's only gonna get her k*lled.

Cut to:

26c INT. DAWN'S ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dawn opens her bedroom window and climbs out.

Cut to:

27 INT. DEMON BAR - NIGHT

Buffy and Spike lead the slayers-in-training into the demon bar. The place is dimly lit, filled with disgusting-looking patrons that could never be mistaken for humans. As Buffy and crew walk in, some of the patrons turn to look at them as the young girls gawk at what they see.

RONA

(laughs) This is a bar.

KENNEDY

(grinning widely) Best damn field trip I ever took.

MOLLY

Look, they're all—

VI

(incredulous) They're demons! It's a demon bar. It's like a gay bar, only with demons.

One of the patrons at the bar stands and greets Spike. In appearance, this demon is reminiscent of a walrus with smaller teeth and long droopy warts dangling from its face.

DEMON

Spike! Long time. Nice of you to bring snacks.

SPIKE

Thouch them, and lose your privates.

VI

I didn't like him.

SPIKE

Nice job of blending in, girls.

RONA

We're a bunch of 15 year olds in a demon bar. How much blending did you think we were gonna do?

BUFFY

Look, it's ok. Ususally you come to a place like this, you wanna be seen. You wanna scare someone, or make contact—-

MOLLY

(eagerly) Or have a strong drink?

BUFFY

Not usually that.

KENNEDY

You don't drink?

BUFFY

Sure I do. I mean, no. That would be wrong.

VI

Do they card?

BUFFY

Nope, go ahead. (the girls walk up to the bar) Down all the yak urine sh*ts or pigs blood spritzers you like. (Spike smirks)

VI

Gross. (the girls back away from the bar)

SPIKE

Got that right. Prices they charge, you could get human blood straight from the body. (Molly stares at him) Vampire...

BUFFY

Look, if I come here, it's 'cause I gotta wring some information out of something large, scary, drunk, with a room full of friends who don't care much for the slayer. Remember that. Not a being in here wouldn't be glad to rip your throat out.

CLEM

(walks up to Buffy while she's talking to the girls) Buffy? Girl, how ya been?

BUFFY

(taken aback) Clem! (gets a good look at him) You look great, so toned. (they hug)

KENNEDY

(under her breath, to Rona) He's ripping out her throat right now.

CLEM

(to Buffy) Oh, my God! It is so good to see you! I saw this great show on the History Channel the other night that I knew you would love, and then something went all flooey with my TiVo.

BUFFY

You know what? Can I talk to you for a second over here?

Buffy and Clem step away from the group, and Buffy whispers something in Clem's ear.

KENNEDY

(under her breath, to Rona) You think she dated him too?

Buffy and Clem rejoin the group.

BUFFY

OK, everyone. These are the girls.

CLEM

Howdy. So, you girls are gonna deal with demons, huh? Just lemme tell you this.

Clem leans in as if to whisper something to them, and the girls crowd around, following suit and leaning in. Then Clem does something with his face that makes the girls scream and jump back with fright. From behind, it looks as though his ears spin, and snakes jump out of his face.

VI

I could use a sh*t of that yak urine right about now.

Cut to:

28 EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET IN SUNNYDALE - NIGHT

Dawn's walking down the street alone, arms crossed and looking at the ground. Then she hears someone approaching down the sidewalk. She looks up. It's Amanda walking toward her.

DAWN

Hey.

AMANDA

Hey, Dawn. Whatcha doing?

DAWN

(shrugs) Uh, just walking. You?

AMANDA

Um, yeah, just walking too. K, well, have a good walk. I guess I'll see you Monday morning?

DAWN

Yeah.

They walk past each other, still going in opposite directions, then Amanda turns to Dawn.

AMANDA

You all right?

DAWN

Sure. Just walking, you know? (looks closely at Amanda's face) A-are you all right? (points to her own forehead) You've got a thing.

AMANDA

(Amanda touches her head where there's a bloody gash above her eye, she laughs nervously) I guess I— I had a bit of a— It's been a bizarre night.

DAWN

What happened? Who did that to you?

AMANDA

(biting her nails) Uh, nobody...exactly. I don't think you'd exactly believe me.

DAWN

Try me.

AMANDA

I-I was at school late because of, you know, Swing Choir, and I tore my sweater, you know, the striped ones we wear. So I went to Home Sciences to sew it up.

DAWN

Uh-huh.

AMANDA

And by the time I was finished, the place was empty, so it was all echoy and lonely. And then there was this guy—or thing. And it was—it scratched me, and I kinda dodged it, and it kinda hit its head.

DAWN

What kind of thing?

AMANDA

I don't know. It was messed up. In the face. 'Round here abouts. (runs her finger between her brows, and down the bridge of her nose)

DAWN

And when it scratched at you, did it—was it scratching with its teeth?

AMANDA

Is it real? Was it really a vampire? I bet you think I'm crazy.

DAWN

I—I believe you.

AMANDA

Well, cool. The thing is, after it hit its head, I kinda freaked out. I trapped it in a room, and it's still there, and now I don't know what to do.

DAWN

It's OK. This is totally dealable. Don't worry.

AMANDA

Well, I was thinking of getting your sister.

DAWN

You know something about my sister?

AMANDA

Well, I've heard people talking. A lot of 'em think she's some kind of high-functioning schizophrenic. But I also heard that maybe—like, maybe she could help with this kind of thing. Do you think we should go get her?

DAWN

She's out. I'll take this one.

Cut to:

29 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Dawn and Amanda climb into the school through classroom window. Dawn pulls a muscle as she climbs over the window ledge.

DAWN

(yelps, rubs her back) Whew. I think I strained something. Maybe something I'll need later in life. Uh…

AMANDA

Come on. The vampire's upstairs. Are you spooked out?

DAWN

No. I'm all right. I-I can do this. It's mostly instinct. I think.

As they walk out, the window slams shut, scaring Dawn. She jumps and squeals, but when she turns to see what it was, she is able to collect her cool. Dawn and Amanda walk out into the hall.

AMANDA

So, if he scratched me with a tooth, am I—I'm not gonna turn into one, am I?

DAWN

(shakes her head) Uh, only if he slashed open one of his own veins and led you to drink deep of his blood.

AMANDA

Nope.

DAWN

Good. You're lucky he didn't hurt you way more than that.

AMANDA

Right. He can do that. (stops walking, turns to Dawn) So, I was thinking... we don't have to k*ll the vampire, do we?

DAWN

What?

AMANDA

Just suppose he got out and was maybe like encouraged toward the gym while the marching band was playing because the way they look down on the Swing Choir. It might be, you know, funny. (Dawn stares in disbelief, Amanda chuckles) I'm just saying.

Cut to:

30 INT. HALLWAY AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Dawn and Amanda walk up to a classroom door, and they both stop and stand in front of it.

DAWN

Well, he didn't break down the door, anyway.

AMANDA

Yeah. Can they do that?

DAWN

They're very strong and, although they feel pain, they don't hold back because of it.

AMANDA

Guess you're some kind of monster expert too?

DAWN

Let's just say it runs in the family. (takes a deep breath and then tries the doorknob; it's unlocked, and the door swings open) I thought you said it was locked. (peers into the classroom)

AMANDA

It was. It was here.

DAWN

(walks into the room) Amanda, it got out.

Widen the sh*t to show Dawn and Amanda near the doorway and a growling vampire suspending himself between two air ducts near the ceiling.

Fade to black.

ACT III:

31 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Resume. Dawn and Amanda are standing just inside the classroom door, looking around the room.

AMANDA

Where'd it go?

DAWN

I dunno. But we have to get out of here.

Right as Dawn reaches to close the door, the vampire drops from the ceiling and rushes her. They struggle over the door as she tries to shut him inside the room. Ultimately, they wrestle the door off its hinges, and Dawn and Amanda run away screaming.

Cut to:

32 INT. HALLWAY AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Dawn and Amanda run down the hall, away from the vampire. They go down the stairs and head for an exit door, but it's locked. They turn to try a different route, but the vampire has already caught up to them, blocking them from escaping. Dawn looks around, and spots the fire extinguisher. She runs up to it, breaks the glass cabinet with her elbow, and reaches in for the extinguisher canister.

AMANDA

What are you doing?

DAWN

(fussing with the extinguisher mechanism) I can't remember, does it have to be upside down or right side up to work? Which is it?

The vampire approaches before Dawn can figure out how to work the fire extinguisher, so she hoists up the huge metal canister and swings it at the vampire's head, knocking him down. He gets up, and Dawn hits him again, throwing the canister at him where he fell. Dawn and Amanda run down the hall away from him and head back upstairs.

Cut to:

33 INT. CRYPT AT SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

Holding up a flashlight and looking around, Buffy and Spike lead the slayers-in-training inside a crypt.

BUFFY

A vampire is an animal. Sometimes they run in packs, sometimes alone. Who can tell us where we are?

RONA

It's a nest.

BUFFY

How can you tell? (hands flashlight to Spike)

KENNEDY

Only a vamp could live like this.

SPIKE

Some, yeah. As a group, we're not known for our tasteful decor, but in all fairness to the race, (looks around) this place is seriously lacking in style.

BUFFY

Thank you, Spike.

SPIKE

I'm merely saying...

BUFFY

He has a point. Vampires can live anywhere. Any way they want. Taste, fashions, living conditions—they can vary. The animal inside, always the same. (Spike looks at Buffy and frowns)

MOLLY

(to Spike) Where'd you live?

SPIKE

What, you mean before? (Molly nods) A crypt actually, but nicer. A bit more—I don't know if posh is the right word, but it was more like—

BUFFY

Comfy.

KENNEDY

Excuse me? When did you find it comfy?

BUFFY

Moving on. (the girls try not to laugh) You want to stay alive, you have to spot and identify a nest on site. Look around, all of you. Look for signs that just last night maybe a dozen, two dozen vampires were right where we're standing. Go ahead.

The girls reluctantly break up and start looking around the crypt.

SPIKE

(to Buffy) Work, work, work. This little excursion was just in danger of being interesting.

BUFFY

You know what, Spike— (looks over to see the girls have gathered around, inspecting something on the floor) Interesting is not a problem.

RONA

Buffy, I think we found something.

MOLLY

(stares with her mouth open, then) It's a body.

BUFFY

(walks over, kneels to take a look, pulls on its shoulder, then lets it go) It's not a body. It's leftovers.

The body starts to move, then growls as it looks back over its shoulder at Buffy. It's a vampire now.

Cut to:

34 INT. HALLWAY AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Dawn and Amanda are running down the hallway at top speed. Dawn finds a classroom, and opens the door.

DAWN

In here!

Cut to:

35 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Dawn goes into the room, followed by Amanda, then shuts the door.

DAWN

Help! We need to barricade this! (Amanda grabs a lab chair, but Dawn shakes her off) Too small.

Dawn goes for the 4' wide by 6' tall filing cabinet, and starts pulling it toward the door. Amanda goes to help push.

AMANDA

Too big.

They finally get the filing pushed up to the door, and with their backs against it, they sink to the floor.

DAWN

Stay down.

AMANDA

Think we're safe?

Just as the words cross her lips, the vampire starts trying to break into the classroom. He growls at the door, opening it a little and pushing it against the filing cabinet.

Cut to:

36 INT. CRYPT AT SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

Buffy, stake in hand, is having a face-off with the vampire while the girls watch from behind her.

BUFFY

No one's safe. Not here, not ever. See this guy?

KENNEDY

B-but he was dead a minute ago.

BUFFY

That was a minute ago. Now... (punches him in the face)

VAMPIRE

(angrily) Hey!

BUFFY

... he's the enemy.

The vampire lunges at Buffy from across the room.

Cut to:

37 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Still sitting on the floor with their backs to the filing cabinet, and frightened, Dawn and Amanda try to hold the cabinet against the door to keep the vampire out.

DAWN

Amanda?

AMANDA

Yes.

DAWN

Listen.

AMANDA

I'm listening

DAWN

We're gonna get out of this. Both of us. Alive. (squeals in fright as the vampire tries to get in) Alive! You believe me?

AMANDA

I believe you.

DAWN

Good. 'Cause I got a plan.

Cut to:

38 INT. CRYPT AT SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

The vampire Buffy's fighting rolls across the floor. Buffy walks slowly after him, still with stake in hand, talking to the girls.

BUFFY

You can't think too much. Reacting's better. Could be the difference between staying alive and that other thing.

Buffy punches the vampire and drops the stake on the floor. They fight hand-to-hand. Kennedy wants to come to Buffy's aid and join the fight, but Spike holds her back.

Cut to:

39 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Still sitting on the floor with their backs to the filing cabinet, and frightened, Dawn and Amanda try to hold the cabinet against the door to keep the vampire out.

DAWN

OK, this plan of mine, I'm not guaranteeing it'll work.

AMANDA

Better than mine about him eating the Marching Band. Besides, your plan'll work.

DAWN

In case you haven't noticed, I don't know what I'm doing here.

AMANDA

You're getting it done.

The vampire finally breaks through the glass on the door, sending a shower of shards onto the girls below. They get up and go away from the door as the vampire knocks over the cabinet and enters the classroom.

Cut to:

40 INT. CRYPT AT SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

Buffy continues to fight the vampire in hand-to-hand combat.

BUFFY

The question is never "what do you think," it's always "what do you know?" You gotta know it. If you don't, if you make one mistake,

Buffy punches the vampire, and he lands on his back on a stone sarcophagus. He tries to kick Buffy, but she grabs his foot and punches him in the face. Then she pushes his leg, flipping him over and off the sarcophagus.

BUFFY (V.O.)

Cut to:

40a INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

it takes just one vampire to k*ll you. So you've got to know you can take him. Know your environment. Know what's around you, and know how to use it. In the hands of a slayer, everything is a potential w*apon. If you know how to see it. When you're fighting, you have to know yourself, your brain, your body. Know how to stay calm, centered. Every move is important, every blow's got to be part of your plan 'cause you make that one mistake, and it's over. You're not the slayer.

The vampire is stalking Dawn between the chemistry lab desks. She backs up as he approaches, and ducks between the desks. Amanda is cowering quietly in a corner. Dawn grabs a lab chair and pushes it toward the vampire, who is undeterred. Dawn grabs an empty flask and throws it at the vampire; it breaks on his head. She throws another empty flask, but he keeps coming. Then she finds another flask with something in it, and throws it at him; it breaks on his chest and now there's smoke coming from his body. As he flinches inspect himself, Dawn runs to the front of the classroom where she grabs the flagpole with the California state flag on it. She struggles to break the flagpole in half on the edge of a lab desk, but finally does splinter it. She leaves the part that the flag is on and starts swinging the jagged wooden pole at the vampire a few times, then loses her balance and falls to the floor. The vampire pounces on her.

BUFFY

Cut to:

40b INT. CRYPT AT SUNNYDALE CEMETERY - NIGHT

You're not a potential. You're dead. What do you know? Right now, the only thing you know for sure is you got me.

Buffy grabs her stake from the floor as the vampire leaps toward her, kicking at her face. She ducks, then defends against his fists as he comes at her. Finally, Buffy grabs him by his shoulders and throws him to the back of the crypt as she stands near the doorway.

Buffy drops the stake and walks out of the crypt. She and Spike close the doors, shutting the slayers-in-training inside with the vampire. The vampire walks menacingly toward the girls, and their faces are full of fright.

Cut to:

41 INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Willow knocks on Dawn's door. Xander and Anya are standing behind her.

WILLOW

Come on, sweetie, open up.

ANYA

Want me to kick down the door?

XANDER

Anya.

ANYA

(laughing) What? It'd be funny. Besides, she's been sulking in there forever. (Xander tries the doorknob, which is unlocked) Oh.

Willow, Anya, and Xander walk into Dawn's room.

Cut to:

42 INT. DAWN'S ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Willow, Anya, and Xander look around the room, but Dawn's not there.

ANYA

Crap. (notices the open window) Double crap.

XANDER

Gone. We got to find her before the Bringers do.

WILLOW

I can do a locator spell, but we gotta hurry. And find Buffy.

Xander, Willow, and Anya leave the room.

Cut to:

43 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

The vampire is attacking Dawn, pinning her down to the floor as she struggles underneath him.

DAWN

(screaming) Help! Amanda, help me!

AMANDA

(frozen still in the corner where she hid) I can't!

DAWN

(the vampire's mouth is nearly on Dawn's neck now) Amanda!

Just then, Bringers burst in through the classroom's exterior windows. The vampire sits back to see what's going on, and Dawn uses her feet to push him away from her. The bringers walk past Dawn and go straight for Amanda.

DAWN

(screaming) No! You don't want her! (the Bringers hoist Amanda up by the arms, Dawn's voice softens as her expression melts) You want me...

Fade to black.

ACT IV:

44 INT. CLASSROOM AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Resume. Amanda's face is one of sheer horror as two Bringers have her by the arms and a third comes at her with a Kn*fe. Dawn stands and lights a gas jet on one of the tables nearest the Bringers, causing a brief expl*si*n and knocking them down.

DAWN

(picks up the jagged broken flagpole) Amanda!

Amanda runs away from the Bringers toward Dawn. The girls quickly run out of the room into the hallway.

Cut to:

45 INT. HALLWAY AT SUNNYDALE HIGH - NIGHT

Amanda and Dawn are running down the hallway. Dawn's still carrying the flagpole shard. They stop running when they get to the top of the stairs.

AMANDA

(out of breath) What were those?

DAWN

Amanda, listen to me. Remember when you said I was special? Well, I'm not. But the thing is, you are. This is your battle, Amanda.

AMANDA

(shaking her head) No, I can't.

DAWN

You can! You've got to. Look, I've got your back, but this is something you have to do. It's something you were born to do. (Bringers have found them and are approaching from the other end of the hall; Dawn hands Amanda the flagpole) Here, this belongs to you.

Amanda reluctantly takes the flagpole fragment from Dawn. From the bottom of the stairs, Xander sees Dawn and Amanda talking. He climbs halfway up the stairs and calls below him.

XANDER

Buffy, up here.

Buffy and Spike follow Xander up the stairs toward Dawn and Amanda. As the Bringers come toward Amanda, she uses the flagpole as a staff, knocking them down and defending herself quite well. Dawn manages to stay out of the way and avoid the crossfire. As Amanda knocks the Bringers down, Buffy and Spike go after them on the stairs.

BUFFY

(stabs a Bringer with his own Kn*fe, then to Spike) Here! (hands the Kn*fe to Spike)

Spike stabs another Bringer with the Kn*fe Buffy gave him. The vampire that att*cked Dawn and Amanda in the classroom is there now too, fighting Amanda. She defends herself admirably with the flagpole before ultimately pinning the vampire against the wall and staking him with it. Buffy walks upstairs to the last Bringer that's still alive and breaks his neck. Amanda turns to her, confused and perturbed.

AMANDA

(to Buffy) OK. One minute I'm in Swing Choir, and the next— What the hell's going on? You tell me to come to you with problems. Turns out, a vampire att*cked me. Problem. So I go to your house, and when I get there, this orange cloud hits me.

DAWN

(to Xander) She was at the doorway.

AMANDA

And I don't know if you're into the dr*gs, but that's not my deal, all right. That cloud hit me, and I got a little dizzy and discombobulated.

DAWN

It was Willow's spell. She's the potential slayer.

Cut to:

46 INT. LIVING ROOM AT BUFFY'S HOUSE - DAY

Rona, Amanda, and Kennedy are sitting on the couch, talking with Molly, who's on a chair, and Vi who is kneeling on the floor, near the coffee table; together they form a circle.

RONA

I'm sure the vampire thought we were like, what, four helpless girls. And then Vi—Vi actually yells, "We're just four helpless girls."

VI

That was part of my plan. (Kennedy rolls her eyes playfully at Vi)

RONA

When it all started going down, it was like we knew what we were doing. For real.

MOLLY

(to Rona) Yeah, like when you dodged that first att*ck, and then cracked him across the jaw.

RONA

Aw, no, no, no, no, no. (to Molly) See, I wouldn't have been able to do that if you hadn't've pulled his legs out.

VI

I hurt his arm. (nods proudly) Yep. And an arm can be as lethal as a mouth.

MOLLY

(to Kennedy) When you staked him, seriously, the rush was like—

KENNEDY

(to Amanda) So you took one out solo?

MOLLY

Yeah, what was that like?

AMANDA

I don't know. I mean, when I saw the vampire, vamp—

KENNEDY

Vampire's good too.

AMANDA

Cool. Yeah, when that vampire att*cked me, I felt this kind of charge, you know?

Dawn's standing on the periphery of the room, watching them talk. Her arms are crossed and she's pouting a little.

KENNEDY (O.S.)

Like you realize in one instant that your whole life is different.

AMANDA (O.S.)

Exactly. It's that rush you're talking about.

BUFFY

(walks up to Dawn from the kitchen, followed by Xander) Hey. (Dawn turns to face her, puts on a happy face) You OK?

DAWN

(nods) Yeah, I was thinking of hitting the books. Do some research on The First. It's in retreat mode right now, but you're still gonna need to know how to fight it.

BUFFY

(nods) Great. Sounds good. (to the slayers-in-training) Hey, you guys, wanna head downstairs? Get our newest arrival up to speed?

The girls all stand and follow Buffy out of the room. As each slayer-in-training passes by Dawn, they don't look at her, don't acknowledge her at all, until Amanda walks by. Amanda pauses for a second and looks at Dawn, smiles, and then continues to follow the other girls. After the girls have gone, Dawn sits down at the desk, opens a book and starts to read it. Then she notices that Xander hasn't left the room but is standing behind her, watching her.

DAWN

(looking over her shoulder, to Xander) What's up?

XANDER

(walks into the room) Aw, I'm just thinking about the girls. It's a harsh gig, being a potential. Just being picked out of a crowd, danger, destiny, (grins) plus if you act now, death.

DAWN

They can handle it.

XANDER

Yeah. (sits in a chair in front of the desk) They're special, no doubt. The amazing thing is, not one of them will ever know, not even Buffy.

DAWN

Know what?

XANDER

How much harder it is for the rest of us.

DAWN

No way. They've got—

XANDER

Seven years, Dawn. Working with the slayer. Seeing my friends get more and more powerful. A witch. A demon. Hell, I could fit Oz in my shaving kit, but come a full moon, he had a wolfy mojo not to be messed with. Powerful. All of them. And I'm the guy who fixes the windows.

DAWN

Well, you had that sexy army training for a while, and—and the windows really did need fixing.

XANDER

I saw what you did last night.

DAWN

Yeah, I— (shakes her head embarrassed) I guess I kinda lost my head when I thought I was the slayer.

XANDER

You thought you were all special. Miss Sunnydale 2003. And the minute you found out you weren't, you handed the crown to Amanda without a moment's pause. You gave her your power.

DAWN

(shrugs) The power wasn't mine.

XANDER

They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me. I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary. (stands, kisses her forehead, stands to walk out of the room)

DAWN

(tears welling in her eyes, calls after him) Maybe that's your power.

XANDER

(pauses at the door) What?

DAWN

Seeing. Knowing.

XANDER

Maybe it is. Maybe I should get a cape.

DAWN

Cape is good.

XANDER

Yeah. (leaves the room)

Dawn gathers herself together, never letting a tear drop. She breathes deeply, then goes back to work on the books at her desk.

Cut to:

Closing credits.