The Dark Age

Prologue
Sunnydale High School at night. A man in a suit with a briefcase is walking past a school building at a brisk, determined pace. He stops for a moment and looks around. Behind him to his left a door opens, and a school custodian comes out with a trashcan.

Custodian: Can I help you?

Philip: Rupert Giles! I need to see him!

Custodian: Mr. Giles, uh, he's our librarian. Next building over, first door on your left.

Philip rushes off without a word of thanks.

Custodian: (sarcastically) You're welcome. (dumps the trash)

Philip continues at his brisk pace and finds the outside library door. He continues toward it, but stops in his tracks when he hears a twig being crushed behind him and turns to look. He hears a moan, but sees nothing and checks the other way again. Behind him he hears breathing and turns back again, and sees a woman in the shadows.

Philip: Oh, God!

Slowly she walks into the light. She is dead and rotting. Her eyes flash yellow briefly.

Philip: Diedre?

Diedre: Philip.

Philip quickly backs up and doesn't see the curb behind him. He trips over it and falls, dropping his briefcase. He scrambles to his feet and runs to the library door. He pounds on it and yanks at the doorknob, but it's locked.

Philip: Help! Help! Somebody, please!

Diedre slowly advances on him.

Philip: (to himself) God, no! (loud) Help!

Cut inside. Buffy is doing step aerobics to a techno beat. Giles is sitting at the table with his hands to his ears, not relishing the music. He raises his head.

Giles: (loudly over the music) Must we have this noise during your calisthenics?

Buffy: It's not noise! It's music!

Giles: I know music. Music has notes. This is noise.

Buffy: I'm aerobicising! I must have a beat!

Giles: (under the music) Wonderful. You work on your muscle tone while my brain dribbles out of my ears.

Cut outside. Philip is still pounding on the door.

Philip: Help! Help! Please!

Diedre continues to advance on him.

Philip: Help me, somebody, please!

Diedre has closed the gap. Philip turns to face her with horror in his eyes. She puts her hands up to the door on either side of him to prevent his escape. He trembles with fear as she moves her hands onto his neck and begins to choke him.

Cut inside. Buffy has finished her aerobics. She strolls to the table and turns off her boom box.

Giles: Ahhh! Very good. And the rest is silence.

Cut outside. Philip falls from Diedre's grip, dead. A moment later Diedre collapses next to him. After she hits the pavement she disintegrates into a puddle of slime. The puddle spreads out and into Philip.

Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.

Part 1
A nightmare. Giles is flashing back to his youth. He has visions of rituals and tattooing.

Young Giles: Time to go to sleep! (screams)

A vision of a demon. Cut to Giles' bedroom. He wakes with a start. He looks around as he sits up in bed, concerned but relieved to find it was only a nightmare.

Cut to school. The camera pans down from above a tree to Buffy and Willow sitting on a bench.

Buffy: I'm on a beach, but not one of those American beaches, one of those island beaches where the water's way too blue, and I'm laying on my towel, and it's just before sunset, and Gavin Rossdale's massaging my feet!

Willow: Oh, that's good! Uh, I'm in Florence, Italy, I've rented a scooter that's parked outside, and I'm in a little restaurant eating ziti, and there are no more tables left, so they have to seat this guy with me, and it's John Cusack!

Buffy: Ooo! Very impressive. You have such an eye for detail.

Willow: 'Cause with the ziti!

Xander: (shows up) What are you two up to?

Buffy: Just having a quick game of 'Anywhere But Here'.

Xander: Ooohhh. Amy Yip at the waterslide park.

Willow: You never come up with anything new.

Xander: I'm just not fickle like you two, okay? I'm constant in my affections. Amy Yip at the waterslide park!

Willow: (to Buffy) Do you think Giles ever played 'Anywhere But Here' when he was in school?

They see him coming toward them.

Xander: Giles lived for school. He's actually still bitter that there are only twelve grades.

Buffy: He probably sat in math class thinking, 'There should be more math. This could be mathier.'

Willow: C'mon, you don't think he ever got restless as a kid?

Buffy: Are you kidding? His diapers were tweed.

Xander chuckles. Buffy sees Giles about to walk by and calls out to him.

Buffy: Giles!

Giles: (turns and sees them) Oh! There you are. (comes over)

Buffy: Hey, morning. Say, is that tweed? (stares at his jacket)

Giles: (preoccupied) What? Oh, uh, yes. Um, now, uh, look, tonight is very important, um... (heads inside)

Buffy: (follows) Now, that's a surprise.

Cut to the halls. They follow Giles to the library.

Buffy: So, what's on tap tonight that's so important? Uprising, prophesied ritual, preordained deathfest?

Xander: Ah, the old standards!

Giles: Um, a medical transport is delivering the monthly supply of blood to the hospital.

Buffy: Mm. Vampire Meals-On-Wheels. (stops at her locker)

Giles: Hopefully not. Uh, we'll meet outside the hospital at 8:30 sharp. I'll bring the weaponry.

Buffy: I'll bring the party mix!

Giles: Just don't be late.

Buffy: Have I ever let you down?

Giles: Do you want me to answer that, or shall I just glare?

Jenny: (finds them) Morning, England.

Giles: Oh, hello, Ms., uh, uh, tuh, Jenny.

Willow: (to Xander, smiling) Feel the passion!

Xander: (smiles back) Mm-hm!

Jenny: Willow...

Willow: (coughs) Coughing, not speaking. (coughs more)

Jenny: (to Willow) We still on for tomorrow?

Willow smiles and nods.

Xander: What's tomorrow?

Jenny: I'm reviewing some computer basics for the couple of students who've fallen behind. Willow's helping out for extra credit.

Xander: (chuckles) Those poor schlubs have to attend school on Saturday! (smiles)

Jenny: 9am okay with you, Xander?

Xander's smile fades. Willow bobs her head in amusement.

Buffy: Got a bit of schlub on your shoe there.

Xander: Heh, heh.

Jenny: Well, Cordelia's gonna meet us.

Xander: (dripping with sarcasm) Ooo, gang, did ya hear that? A bonus day of class plus Cordelia! Mix in a little rectal surgery, and it's my best day ever!

Jenny: (to Giles) Walk me to class?

Giles: (a smile on his face) Pleasure.

Jenny and Giles head for her class. The others watch them go.

Buffy: Look at them.

Xander: A twosome of cuteness.

Willow: Can't you just imagine them getting together?

Their expressions all change to ones of being grossed out. Cut to Giles and Jenny walking.

Jenny: Oh! Thank you so much for loaning me the Forrester book. It's wonderful!

Giles: Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Jenny: Yeah, it was so romantic, so evocative.

Giles: That edition was my father's. I, I, I must've read it... twenty times.

Jenny: Yeah, y'know how you have to, to dog-ear your favorite pages so you can go back to them?

Giles: Uh, uh, uh, what?

Jenny: Well, I mean, I-I practically had to fold back every single page. So finally I just, I just started underlining all the pages I really wanted to discuss.

Giles: U-u-underlined...?

Jenny: But then, of course, I spilled coffee all over it, I can't even read it...

Giles: (can't believe it) It's a first edition!

Jenny: I'm lying, Rupert. (smiles) The book's fine. (holds it up) I just love to see you squirm. (hands him the book)

Giles: (smiles in relief) Yes, well, I, uh... trust I gave good... squirm.

Jenny: Did anyone ever tell you you're kind of a fuddy-duddy?

Giles: Nobody ever seems to tell me anything else.

Jenny: Did anyone ever tell you you're kind of a sexy fuddy-duddy?

Giles: Well, no. Actually that, that part usually gets left out. (smiles) I c-can't imagine why.

Jenny: This weekend.

Giles: Would you like to go out?

Jenny: Mm, no, I think I'd like to stay in.

They draw together for a kiss as the bell rings. They touch lips, but break it off as students begin pouring into the halls.

Giles: Uh, this, (clears his throat) Saturday, then.

Jenny: Saturday night. (clears her throat) I'll see if I can make you squirm.

They look at each other for a moment before Giles heads off to his library.

Cut to the library. Giles walks in to discover a detective and two police officers there.

Det. Winslow: Rupert Giles?

Giles: Yes?

Det. Winslow: Detective Winslow. You're gonna have to come with me.

Giles: Why?

Det. Winslow: There was a homicide on campus last night. The victim had no identification, but he was carrying this slip of paper with your name and address on it. (holds up the slip in a baggie)

Giles: (sets down his briefcase) My name?

Cordelia walks into the library.

Cordelia: Well, evil just compounds evil, doesn't it? First I'm sentenced to a computer tutorial on Saturday, now I have to read some computer book... There are books on computers? Isn't the point of computers to replace books?

Giles: (cuts her off) Cordelia, I'm a little busy right now. (points out the detective)

Cordelia: Oh! Great! (steps up to Det. Winslow) Can you help me with a ticket? It's totally bogus. It was a one-way street. I was going one way.

Giles: (raised voice) Cordelia!

Cordelia: What?! Why does everyone always yell my name? I'm not deaf! And I can take a hint. (unsure) What's the hint?

Giles: To come back later.

Cordelia: Yeah, when you've visited decaf land. (leaves)

Giles: (to Det. Winslow) Where do you want me to go?

Cut to the city morgue. The coroner opens one of the body storage doors and pulls out the drawer.

Attendant: Have you had your breakfast?

Giles: No.

Attendant: That was probably a good idea.

He pulls back the sheet to reveal Philip's body. It's bruised all over, with two especially dark bruises on the throat. Giles looks down at him in recognition.

Det. Winslow: Do you know him?

Giles: (whispers) Yes. Yes. I-I mean, I did. His name's Philip Henry. He was a friend of mine in London. I... I haven't spoken to him in twenty years.

Det. Winslow: Can you think of any reason why he might've wanted to contact you?

Giles: No.

He sees the tattoo on Philip's right arm near the inside elbow.

Det. Winslow: Do you know what that is? The tattoo.

Giles: (lies) No. No, I don't.

Cut to the hospital ER entrance that night. Buffy is waiting on Giles.

Buffy: (exhales) 'Don't be late.' Sheesh.

She walks over to a pay phone to try calling, but stops when she sees the blood van pull up. The driver gets out with his clipboard as two ER doctors come out to meet him.

Driver: Hey, fellas.

Doctor: Hey.

Buffy: All's well that ends with cute ER doctors, I always say.

She watches them go to the back of the van and get out the insulated container. They start back with the driver, and he gets back into the van. Buffy realizes something's wrong.

Buffy: Since when do doctors take deliveries?

The van backs out of the ambulance slot. The doctors wave to the driver.

Doctor: See ya.

The van drives off, and behind it a car engine starts and a pair of headlights come on. The old convertible pulls up into the light as the doctors set the container down. One of them opens the lid, takes out a bag of blood and begins to suck on it. The driver of the car gets out.

Driver: Hey! No sampling the product!

The doctor vampire hisses, but puts the bag back down and drops the lid closed. Buffy runs to attack. She kicks the first doctor vampire down, then the second, and does a roundhouse kick to the driver's face. The first one gets up, and she tries kicking him again, but he grabs her leg and throws her onto the hood of the car. She scissor kicks him in the neck, and he staggers away and falls. A fourth vampire runs up as Buffy gets up and takes out a stake. She turns to attack him.

Buffy: Angel!

Angel: Buffy! Look out!

He jumps up onto the car's hood and leaps off to tackle the driver vampire coming at her from behind. Angel punches him in the face, but he stays up. The second vampire jumps up onto the hood and swings at Buffy. She ducks the punch and jabs him in the chest. The first vampire jumps up on the hood, too, and Buffy knocks him back off with a punch to the face. She punches the second one in the face, too, and he falls down on the hood on his back. She jumps off of the car and thrusts her stake into the first vampire as he tries to get back up. The second one is off the car again and grabs her by the shirt from behind. She swings around with the stake and gets him in the chest also. Angel, in the mean time, roundhouse kicks the driver and sends him spinning into the car. The vampire quickly sits up in the driver's seat and floors it as Angel tries to chase him. The car races off, leaving Angel and the blood behind. Buffy opens the lid to check on it.

Buffy: How did you know about this?

Angel: It's delivery day. Everybody knows about this. They only ruined one bag.

Buffy stands up and looks after the car, which is long gone. Angel kicks the lid back closed.

Buffy: Do you think you could make sure the hospital gets the rest?

She realizes whom she's just asked to do that and raises her eyebrows at him. Angel just nods, not insulted by the query.

Buffy: Thanks. I'm worried about Giles. He was supposed to meet me here.

Angel: Maybe he's late.

Buffy: Giles? Who counts tardiness as, like, the eighth deadly sin?

Angel: Right. Go.

She gives him a final look and hurries off.

Cut to Giles' apartment building. Buffy walks to his door and knocks. Giles opens the viewport and looks out at her, then opens the door.

Giles: Buffy. I-it's late. Uh, are you alright?

Buffy: I was gonna ask you the same thing.

Giles: Yes, I'm fine, fine. Look, I'm, uh, I'm rather busy a-at the moment, so, uh, I'll see you on Monday at, at school.

He starts to close the door. Buffy holds it open with her hand.

Buffy: Giles, did you forget? The hospital, vampires, handy carryout packets of blood?

Giles: Oh! Yes, uh, are you alright? W-were you hurt?

Buffy: No. I mean, my feelings a little. What's wrong?

Giles: Nothing, nothing, nothing's wrong. I-I'm just in the, uh, middle of something extremely important, and, uh, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to say good night now.

He closes the door in her face, leaving her confused and taken aback. She can hear Giles on the phone, but leaves him alone to his work. Cut inside.

Giles: Yes, I'm, I'm sorry to disturb you. It's, uh... I-I realize it's, uh, five in the morning there, um... Uh, I-I'm trying to reach Diedre Page. My name is Rupert Giles, uh, uh, she knows me. It's, it's very important. (listens to the bad news) I'm terribly sorry. I... I-I didn't know. W-when did she, uh, pass away? (listens more) Ohhhh. That recently. (sits at his desk) Um, yes, yes, um, we were friends when we were young. My condolences.

He hangs up the phone and stares off into space with his fingers to his lips while he considers and remembers. He takes off his glasses and reaches for his drink. The bottle next to it is in almost half empty already. He gulps the rest from the glass and sets it back down. He thinks another moment before grabbing his pen and crossing Diedre's name off of a list of five names: Thomas Sutcliff, Philip Henry, Diedre Page, Ethan Rayne, Rupert Giles. He gets up and goes into his bathroom to the sink in front of the mirror. He rolls up his sleeves, and on his left arm just above the inside elbow is the same tattoo that Philip had. He reaches into the sink full of water, cups his hands and splashes some on his face. He looks up at himself in the mirror.

Giles: So. You're back.

Cut to the city morgue. The camera slowly closes on the body storage drawers. Cut inside Philip's drawer. He reaches up and pulls the sheet off of his face. His eyes glow yellow.

Part 2
The city morgue. The morgue attendant is going through some paperwork and checking on bodies. He opens one storage bay, checks the toe tag, and closes it. He does the same for the next one. Then he opens Philip's, and discovers him missing. Suddenly a body bag comes down over his head. He tries to struggle, but Philip is too strong for him. Philip forces him into the storage bay and slams the door shut. He slowly starts to make his way out of the morgue.

Cut to the hall at Sunnydale High. Jenny, Xander, Willow and Cordelia head for the computer classroom.

Cordelia: This isn't right. School on a Saturday. It throws off my internal clock.

Xander: When are we gonna need computers for real life anyway?

Jenny: Hmm, let's see. There's home, school, work, games... (unlocks the classroom door)

Xander: Y'know, computers are on the way out. I think paper's gonna make a big comeback.

Willow: And the abacus.

Xander: Yeah, you know, you don't see enough abaci.

They all go into the room. Willow, Xander and Cordelia each take a seat in front of a PC. Cordelia takes the one next to Xander.

Jenny: Alright, guys. The first thing we're gonna do is... Buffy!

Buffy follows Jenny into the room.

Xander: Huh? Did I fall asleep already?

Willow: Aw, you miss your friends?

Xander: Uh, sit here, Buffs! (stands up) Demilitarize the zone between me and Cordelia!

Cordelia: Yeah, and delouse him while you're at it.

Buffy: (to Jenny) Actually I wanted to talk to you for a second?

Jenny: Something wrong?

Xander: Is there some crisis that requires instant action? Very far from here?

Buffy: It's Giles.

Jenny: Well, he's alright, isn't he?

Buffy: I don't know. Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then, when I went over to his place, he was acting... well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I-I think he might've been... (doesn't want to believe it) I think he was drinking.

Jenny: He was home alone drinking?

Willow: But... tea, right?

Buffy: Wasn't tea, Will.

Xander: Yep, yep, I knew this would happen. Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting. My Uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you've ever met by day. By night, it was booze, whores, and fur flying. Were there whores?

Buffy: He was alone.

Xander: Give it time.

Buffy: So, none of you guys have noticed anything different lately?

Willow: No!

Jenny: Not really.

Buffy: Uh, you haven't seen anything weird?

Xander: Nope.

Cordelia: No, he seemed perfectly normal yesterday when I saw him talking to the police.

Everyone stares at her.

Buffy: And you waited till now to tell us this because...?

Cordelia: I didn't think it was important.

Xander: We understand. It wasn't about you.

Jenny: Well, what were the police talking to him about?

Cordelia: Oh, don't tell me, I know this one. Um... (thinks) Something about... a homicide.

Buffy: That's it. I-I'm calling him right now.

She goes to find a phone. Jenny rubs her head with worry.

Cut to the library. Buffy heads for Giles' office when she hears something in the stacks and stops in her tracks to look. She sees a shadow move across one of the bookcases in the anteroom. She goes up the stairs and through the French doors. Slowly she walks down the main aisle, looking around and down each side aisle. As she passes one a man watches her search. Buffy keeps looking. He sees her through a gap in the books and puts his hands against the bookcase to push it over onto her. She looks up and sees it's Ethan, and dashes away just in time to avoid being crushed under the bookcase. Ethan tries to make his escape, but he's limping heavily and can't run. She grabs him by the arm and turns him around.

Buffy: I know you! You were in that costume shop.

Ethan: Oh, I'm pleased you remember. (tries to go)

Buffy: (stops him) You sold me that dress for Halloween, and nearly got us all killed!

Ethan: But you looked great.

She punches him squarely in the jaw.

Ethan: Owww! (straightens back up holding his jaw) So now we're even?

Buffy: I'll let you know when we're even. What're you doing here?

Ethan: Snooping around.

Buffy: Honesty. Nice touch.

Ethan: It's one of my virtues. (smiles) Not really.

Buffy: I've got a great idea: why don't I just call the police and have you arrested for breaking and entering, and then I can get back to my fun Saturday?

Ethan: Yes, the police. Well, they'll have all those questions, and they'll really need Rupert to answer them all.

Buffy: You know Giles.

Ethan: We go back. Way back. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?

Cut to Giles' nightmare. The tattoo on his arm. Visions of a demon, of Diedre in her rotted state, of eyes glowing yellow. His phone rings. Cut to his apartment. He stirs at his desk and fumbles with the phone, managing to pick up the receiver.

Giles: Hello.

Buffy: (cut to her) Giles, it's me.

Giles: (cut to him) (exhales) Buffy, u-unless this is an emergency, I'll see you on Monday.

Buffy: (cut to her) What's the Mark of Eyghon?

Cut to Giles. He is surprised to hear those words from her. Cut to the library.

Buffy: Giles?

Ethan: Cat got his tongue?

Buffy: I'm in your office with someone who claims to be an old friend of yours. (cut to Giles) Ethan Rayne?

Giles: He's there with you? Listen, Buffy, you're... you're in grave danger while Ethan's there. I want you to (cut to Buffy) put the phone down and get out of the library as soon as possible.

Buffy: I'm not going anywhere until you give me some answers!

Philip comes crashing through a window in Giles' office. Ethan steps behind Buffy and holds her in front of him.

Giles: Buffy?

Cut to Giles' apartment. He grabs his glasses and runs from his apartment. Cut to the library. Philip comes out of Giles' office and straight for Buffy. She kicks him in the chest and rolls over the counter. He comes through the door and at her again. Ethan climbs over the counter, too.

Philip: Ethan!

Xander comes in, followed by the others.

Buffy: Don't let him get away!

Xander pushes Ethan up against the counter, but gets pushed aside. The doors are held wide open by the women, and Ethan tries to make his escape past them, but Cordelia knees him in the crotch and he collapses. Buffy looks around for what to do with Philip and spots the open cage door. She backs toward it, then turns and makes like she's running in. Philip hurries to follow, but she sidesteps the door and kicks him into the cage as he runs by. She slams the door shut and locks it. Ethan is still lying in pain on the floor.

Dissolve to later. Ethan is sitting in a chair at the table being watched by Buffy. The others observe Philip. Willow has seen enough and goes over to Buffy.

Willow: I'm not gonna get close enough to feel his pulse, but... he looks dead.

Xander: Except for the walking and attacking Buffy part.

Ethan: He's dead. Sorry, Philip. Really I am.

Giles barges into the library.

Giles: Is everyone alright?

Cordelia: Super! (proud of herself) I kicked a guy!

Jenny: We're okay.

Xander: Deadguy here interrupted our tutorial. (to Philip) Been meaning to thank you for that.

Philip jumps at him, and Xander backs off. Giles walks over to have a look at Philip.

Giles: It can't be!

Ethan: Yes, it can. (Giles turns to him) Hello, Ripper.

Giles: I thought I told you to leave town.

Ethan: You did. I didn't. (Giles approaches him) Shop's lease is paid till the end of the month.

Cordelia: (to Xander) Uh, why did he call him Ripper?

Giles grabs Ethan by the hair on the back of his neck and lifts him out of his chair.

Giles: You should've left when I told you.

Cordelia: Ohhhh...

Buffy: Giles?!

Giles: You put these people in danger. The people I care about.

Ethan: If you cared so much about them, why didn't *you* leave town? (pushes Giles' arm away) You've been having the dreams, I know. I have. We both know what's coming.

Buffy: What dreams?! What is going on here?!

Ethan: Tell her, Ripper.

Buffy: Giles...

Philip breaks the cage door and throws it open into Jenny, knocking her out. Xander quickly moves away and pushes Cordelia with him.

Giles: JENNY!

He scrambles to her aid. Buffy gets between Ethan and Philip and kicks him in the chest three times, forcing him back against the cage. He slides down to the floor, but gets back up and comes for Buffy again. Before he can reach her, his eyes go wide, he begins to convulse and he collapses to the floor next to Jenny. He disintegrates into a puddle of slime. It begins to spread out. Everyone stares.

Willow: Now, there's something you don't see everyday.

Cordelia: I'm gonna be in therapy till I'm thirty.

Buffy: (looks around) Where's Ethan? (runs off) Where'd he go?

The slime oozes its way to Jenny, and her hand stirs when it makes contact. She regains consciousness, and Giles helps her sit up.

Giles: Are you alright, Jenny?

Jenny: Ow! (cradles her head in her hand)

Giles: Careful!

Jenny: Ohhh...

Giles: Can you stand? (helps her up)

Jenny: I think so.

Cordelia: This is what happens when you have school on Saturday.

Xander gives her a look.

Jenny: (unsteady) Mm.

Giles: Lean on me. (pulls her close) It'll be alright.

Jenny: (pulls away to look at him) Promise?

Giles: I promise.

Jenny: I believe you.

She closes her eyes and leans on his shoulder, hugging him close. When she opens her eyes again they glow yellow like cat's eyes.

Part 3
The library. Giles is at the table stroking Jenny's hair as she rests her head against her hand. Buffy comes striding back into the library.

Giles: How's your head?

Jenny: Throbbing.

Buffy: I lost Ethan. Giles, what's going on?

Giles: It's complicated, Buffy, and quite frankly, it's private.

Buffy: I don't care from private! I care from dead guys attacking us. I care from you lost weekending in your apartment.

Giles: I wasn't... I was just trying to find a solution.

Buffy: Giles, share! What is the Mark of Eyghon?

Giles: Hey! (stares her down) This is not your battle! And as your Watcher, (stands up) I'm telling you unequivocally to stay out of it!

Buffy can't believe what she's hearing.

Giles: I have to get Jenny home. (helps her up)

Jenny: Mm. Thank you.

She rests her head on his shoulder as the two of them walk from the library. Buffy goes over to the others sitting and leaning on the counter.

Buffy: We have work to do. Will, I want you to find out anything and everything you can about the Mark of Eyghon.

Willow: I'll try the 'Net, but 'Mark of Eyghon' sounds like Giles and his books sorta deal.

Buffy: Then we hit the books.

Willow heads up into the stacks.

Buffy: Xander, how do you feel about digging through some of Giles' personal files and seeing what you can find?

Xander: I feel pretty good about it. Does that make me a sociopath? Nah. (heads for the office)

Cordelia hops off of the counter and smiles at Buffy.

Buffy: (raises her brows) What?

Cordelia: What about me? I care about Giles.

Buffy: (thinks) Uh, work with Xander.

Cordelia: Well, when I say 'care', I, I mean...

Buffy: Cordelia...

Cordelia: Okay, okay! (walks to the office)

Buffy goes to do what she can to help, too.

Cut to Giles' apartment building.

Jenny: Thanks for bringing me here. (cut inside the apartment) Not quite ready to be home alone just yet.

She accepts a drink from Giles. He walks around the couch and sits down next to her. She takes a sip of the drink.

Jenny: Ooo!

Giles: Jenny, uh... I'm so very sorry about all of this. (sets down his drink and takes off his glasses) I, uh... I never meant for you to be involved in, in, uh, any of this.

Jenny: So I got involved. (leans forward) That's what happens when two people get involved.

Giles looks at her and smiles. He starts to make a move in to kiss her, but stops himself.

Giles: I really am, however, gonna have to get you home. It's not, uh... I'm not a very safe person to be around at the moment.

Jenny: Nothing's safe in this world, Rupert. Don't you know that by now?

She reaches up and strokes his head behind his ear.

Cut to the library. Willow has found something.

Willow: Ah! Aha! It's not Egyptian, it's Etruscan (goes over to Buffy with her book) mistaken for Egyptian by the design pattern, but any fool can see it predates their iconology. Look, the Mark of Eyghon, worn by his initiates. (reads) 'Eyghon, also called the Sleepwalker, can only exist in this reality by possessing an unconscious host. Temporary possession imbues the host with a euphoric feeling of power.'

Buffy: Yeah, but what about non-temporary?

Willow: (reads) 'Unless the proper rituals are observed, the possession is permanent, and Eyghon will be born from within the host.'

Cordelia: I'm guessing eww!

Willow: Wait. Hey, listen. 'Once called, Eyghon can also take possession of the dead, but its demonic energy soon disintegrates the host, and it must jump to the nearest dead or unconscious person to continue living.'

Buffy: I still don't get what this has to do with Giles.

Willow: I don't know about Giles, but ancient sects used to induce possession for bacchanals and, and orgies.

Xander: Okay! Giles and orgies in the same sentence. I coulda lived without that one.

Cordelia could've lived without Xander's comment.

Buffy: Uh, wait a minute. The dead guy's all puddly now.

Cordelia: So the demon's gone. There was no one dead to jump into. I mean, we're all not dead, right?

Buffy: No, no one dead.

Xander: But someone unconscious.

They realize what happened.

Cut to Giles' apartment. Jenny yanks the phone cord from the wall.

Giles: What was that?

Jenny: What was what?

Giles: I thought I heard something. (comes out of the kitchen with tea)

Jenny: I didn't.

Giles: Here. (hands her a cup) Drink that, and then I'll drive you home.

Jenny: (takes a sip) You could take me home. (sets the cup down) Or you could take advantage of me in my weakened state.

Cut to the library. Buffy is on the phone.

Buffy: Thank you, operator. (hangs up) There's no answer at Ms. Calendar's, and Giles' phone is out of order. I'm gonna go over there. (strides out)

Cut to Giles' apartment.

Giles: Jenny, uh... (moves away) I'm, I'm really very attracted t-to you.

Jenny: Good. (follows)

Giles: But, um, now really isn't the right time. (faces her)

Jenny: Oh, there's never been a better time.

She pushed him back onto a chair, climbs onto his lap and kisses him hard. He pushes her away.

Giles: It's not right. I would be taking advantage.

Jenny: (gets off) God, you just don't change, do you? (paces)

Giles: What?

Jenny: It's not right, it wouldn't be proper, people might get hurt. You're like a woman, Ripper. You cry at every funeral. You never had the strength for me. You don't deserve me. (whispers) But guess what? You've got me. (takes his head) (in a deep male voice) Under your skin.

She grabs his hair and lifts him to his feet. She kisses him roughly. When she pulls back her face has started the transformation to Eyghon.

Jenny/Eyghon: Was it good for you?

She smashes his head into the phone on the desk.

Jenny/Eyghon: Aw, you never had the stomach. But that's okay. 'Cause I'm about to rip it out!

She pulls him back, and he cries out as he staggers backward into the bar and stumbles to the floor. Buffy kicks open the door and kicks Jenny/Eyghon hard in the jaw, sending her back over the couch and onto the floor. She gets up again and walks around the couch, eyeing Buffy.

Buffy: Back off!

Jenny/Eyghon: (stops and laughs) Three down, two to go. Be seeing ya.

She runs and dives through the window. Buffy crouches down beside Giles.

Buffy: Are you alright?

Giles: Oh, Jenny! Oh, God!

Buffy: Giles, how do we stop this?

Giles: Oh, God, what have I done?

Buffy: Talk to me! Giles, you're scaring me.

Giles: I'm sorry.

Buffy: Don't be sorry, be Giles. C'mon, we fight monsters. This is what we do. They show up, they scare us, I beat 'em up and they go away. This isn't any different!

Giles: It *is* different.

Buffy: Because you don't know how to stop it?

Giles: Because I created it!

Cut to the library. Xander comes out of Giles' office.

Willow: Did you find anything?

Xander: The most meticulous banking and phone records you've ever seen. And, um, this.

He hands her a picture of a young Giles in a leather jacket playing an electric bass.

Willow: (giggles) That's Giles?

Cut to Giles' apartment.

Giles: I was twenty-one, studying history at Oxford. And, of course, the occult by night. I hated it. The tedious grind of study, the... overwhelming pressure of my destiny. I dropped out, I went to London... (exhales) I fell in with the worst crowd that would have me. We practiced magicks. Small stuff for pleasure or gain. And Ethan and I discovered something... bigger.

Buffy: Eyghon.

Giles: Yes. One of us would, um... (nervously pours a drink) go into a deep sleep, and the others would, uh, summon him. It was an extraordinary high! (smiles nervously) God, we were fools.

Buffy: You couldn't control it.

Giles: One of us, Randall, he lost control. Eyghon took him whole. We tried to exorcise the demon from Randall, but it killed him. No. We killed him. We thought we were free of the demon after that. But now he's back. And one by one, he will kill us all.

Buffy: Three down, two to go?

Giles nods.

Buffy: Then it's going after Ethan. (gets up) I better beat it there.

Giles: (gets up) *We'd* better.

Buffy: *I'd* better. Giles, you're barely mobile, and speed is of a serious essence here.

Giles: (sits back down) I don't know how to stop it without killing Jenny.

Buffy: I've got the guys working on it. I'll, um, try to contain it until we figure something. (starts to go)

Giles: Buffy? (she stops) I'm sorry.

Buffy: I know. (leaves)

Cut to the street in front of Ethan's. Cut inside. Buffy opens the door and looks in.

Buffy: Ethan? (comes in and closes the door) Ethan? (looks around) Giles told me everything. Look, it's coming for you.

Ethan: (appears behind her) And you came to protect me? I'm touched.

Buffy: Don't worry, it's nothing personal. To protect Giles I have to protect you. (walks past him)

Ethan: How does Ripper inspire such goodness?

Buffy: 'Cause he's Giles.

Ethan: And I'm not. Still, lucky me.

Buffy: Hmm. Lucky you.

Ethan: Well, we can't run. Eyghon will find us. (shows his tattoo) This mark's like a homing beacon.

Buffy: That's okay. I'm not much into running.

Ethan: Aren't we manly?

Buffy: One of us is. You're gonna hide till it's over.

Ethan: Excellent plan.

Buffy: Is there a way in through the back?

Ethan: Uh, there's a back door. It's locked. I think it's solid.

Buffy: We'll set up there. Let's go.

Ethan: Oh, no, please.

He indicates she should go first. She heads toward the back as he picks up a mannequin arm and hits her across the back with it, knocking her down and out.

Ethan: Ladies first.

Part 4
Ethan's shop. He's humming while he works. Buffy is lying face down on a table with her arms tied together underneath. She wakes up.

Ethan: Wakey, wakey. You're missing all the fun.

Buffy: What fun?

Ethan: Your initiation.

He sets down a tray of tattooing instruments.

Buffy: You know what? I'm not real interested in joining your club.

Ethan: Too late. I already voted you in. (she struggles) Y'know, I hope you're not taking this personally, Buffy. I actually kinda like you. It's ju, it's just that I like myself a whole lot more. If you think of it karmically, this is, this is really big for your soul.

Buffy struggles with the rope.

Ethan: You know, taking my place with the demon, giving so that others may live.

Buffy: I'm gonna kill you. Will that blow the whole karma thing?

Ethan: Sweet child. (takes the tattoo ink and needle) Now, this may sting a little just at first. But don't worry, that'll go away once the searing pain kicks in.

Buffy struggles harder. He bends over her to begin.

Ethan: You can go ahead and scream if you like.

He starts tattooing her on the back of her neck.

Cut to the library. Willow, Xander and Cordelia are researching books.

Willow: We have to figure out how to kill this thing, and we need to do it fast. (takes a sip of tea)

Xander: (reads) Uh, 'hot lava.'

Willow: That's for a heretic.

Xander: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, okay. Uh, ooo, ooo! 'Bury a potato!' No, that's for warts. Who writes this stuff?

Cordelia: I've got the solution right here. 'To kill a demon cut off its head.'

Xander: Oh, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah! We'll, uh, find Ms. Calendar, then we'll decapitate her. Hey! She'll be the first headless computer teacher in school. You think anybody'll notice?

Cordelia: Do you know what you need, Xander, besides a year's supply of acne cream? A brain.

Xander: (Gets up) That's it! Twelve years of you and I'm snappin'! I don't care if you're a girl or not, I'm throwin' down! Come on!

Cordelia: (gets up and walks to him) I've seen you fight. And don't think I can't take you!

Xander: Give it your best shot.

Willow: (had enough, gets up) HEY! We don't have time for this! Our friends are in trouble! Now, we have to put our heads together and, and get them out of it! And if you two aren't with me a hundred and ten percent, then get the hell out of my library! (points to the door)

Cordelia: (meekly) We're sorry.

Xander: We'll be good.

Willow: (nods and sits) Okay. Now, we've done the research. We just have to figure out how to use it.

Xander: Oh, hey! Why don't we find another dead body for the demon to jump into!

Cordelia: Yes! At the cemetery.

Willow: Well, that won't kill the demon. It'll only give it a change of scenery. (something clicks) Oh. Oh! Oh, I've got it! (runs for the phone) I've got it!

Xander: She's good! (follows)

Cordelia smiles and follows also.

Cut to Ethan's shop. Ethan has finished Buffy's tattoo.

Ethan: Hmm. I think I missed my calling as an artist.

Buffy: Ethan, listen to me. This is a bad idea. You're dealing with something very dangerous.

Ethan: (rolls up his left sleeve) But it will get Eyghon off my scent.

He picks up a bottle of sulfuric acid. Buffy draws a breath in fright, thinking the acid is meant for her.

Ethan: Now relax. I'm finished with you. This is for me.

Buffy has found an exposed screw on the underside of the table and begins scraping her rope against it. Ethan steels himself for the burn of the acid. He slowly pours it onto his Mark of Eyghon tattoo. Buffy looks at him like he's insane. He does his best not to scream but lets out a few grunts of pain. Buffy keeps scraping the rope on the screw.

Cut to Giles' apartment. He's about to leave his apartment when he's caught by a waking nightmare and collapses to the floor, unable to remain standing. He has visions of the Mark of Eyghon and various friends incarnate of Eyghon, and finally of Buffy with her new tattoo. He wakes.

Giles: Oh! Ethan... No. No!

He quickly gets up, grabs his coat and staggers out the door, still weak and not bothering to close it behind him.

Cut to Ethan's. He wraps his arm in a bandage.

Ethan: Well, I hate to mutilate and run, but...

He and Buffy see a diffuse green light shine through the shop windows and the shadow of Jenny/Eyghon coming to the door. The door opens and Jenny/Eyghon steps in, well on her way to transforming into Eyghon.

Jenny/Eyghon: (to Ethan in a deep male voice) It's your time.

Buffy is almost through the rope under the table. Jenny/Eyghon steps up to Ethan. He stares at her in fear. She sniffs a few times and realizes he's not the one she's after anymore. She turns to Buffy, and her eyes glow. Jenny/Eyghon shoves Ethan aside just as Buffy gets through the rope. Buffy rolls off of the table and onto the floor as Jenny/Eyghon lunges for her. She kicks up and flips Jenny/Eyghon and the table over and onto the floor. They both get up. Jenny/Eyghon holds the table in her hands and rushes Buffy with it, pushing her into some crates. Giles barges in through the door.

Giles: Eyghon! Take me.

Jenny/Eyghon tosses the table aside and turns to face Giles.

Giles: Buffy, get out of here!

Jenny/Eyghon slowly advances on Giles.

Buffy: NO! (gets between them) No!

Jenny/Eyghon stretches her arm out at Buffy, and she goes flying into a pile of boxes. Jenny/Eyghon grabs Giles by the collar, pulls him around and down to the floor and stands over him.

Jenny/Eyghon: I've been waiting a long time to do this.

As she bends down to grab Giles Angel runs in through the door, grabs her and pulls her to the crate, banging her head into it. He takes her by the neck and starts to choke her. Willow, Xander and Cordelia run in next. Willow holds Giles back as he gets up.

Giles: He's killing her!

Willow: No! Trust me! This is gonna work!

Angel continues choking Jenny/Eyghon. Xander helps Buffy up. Finally Eyghon has to jump and does so, right into Angel. He drops Jenny as he's thrown back into the wall and begins convulsing. When Jenny hits the floor she is herself again. Willow lets go of Giles, and he immediately gets on his hands and knees next to her.

Giles: Jenny!

Angel's face twists and contorts as the demons inside of him fight it out. He is thrown to the crate and hits his head. His face goes through a few more contortions when Eyghon suddenly appears, apparently gaining the upper hand. After a moment Angel's face shifts back to normal, then back to Eyghon, then back to normal again. He is thrown back against the wall. Another moment's struggle and the demon inside Angel throws Eyghon out. Without a host body to occupy Eyghon quickly crumbles into ashes. Angel gasps and collapses to the floor. They all run over to his aid. Giles reaches out to Jenny. She shifts to look at him.

Giles: Jenny!

Jenny: Rupert...

Ethan gets up and runs from the shop.

Buffy: You knew that if the demon was in trouble it was gonna jump into the nearest dead person.

Angel: I put it in danger.

Willow: And it jumped. (stands up)

Angel: (gets up) I've had a demon inside me for a couple hundred years... (exhales) just waitin' for a good fight.

Buffy: Winner and still champion.

Xander: Uh, I think that Ethan guy disappeared again.

Buffy: Darn. I really wanted to hit him till he bled.

Cordelia: Well, at least it's over.

Buffy and Angel look over at Jenny and Giles. Jenny clings to Giles as they walk out of the shop.

Cut to school the next day. Willow, Xander and Buffy walk across the quad.

Buffy: You know what the worst thing is? I was saving up for some very important shoes, and now I have to blow my entire allowance to get this stupid tattoo removed. Let's just hope my mom doesn't see it first.

Xander: Puttin' that demon into Angel was pretty brill, Will.

Willow: I wasn't sure it was gonna work.

Buffy: But it did.

Xander: Like a charm.

Buffy: Hey! Maybe you should consider a career as a Watcher.

Willow: Oh, no, I don't think I could handle the stress.

Xander: And the dental plan is crap.

Willow: I don't see how Giles does it.

They see him walking.

Buffy: I don't think he has a choice.

Cut to the hall. Jenny walks to the stairs and is about to start up when Giles catches up with her.

Giles: Uh, uh, Jenny! Jenny...

She stops and turns to face him.

Jenny: Rupert, hi.

Giles: Uh... I-I-I tried to call you last night, s-see how you were.

Jenny: Yeah, I-I-I, uh... I left my phone off the hook. I seem to need a lot of sleep lately.

Giles: But, but you're al-alright? Is, is, is there anything you need?

Jenny: Mm, no, I'm fine. I mean, I'm not... running around, wind in my hair, 'the hills are alive with the sound of music' fine, but... I'm coping.

Giles: I, I would like to help.

Jenny: I know.

Giles: Perhaps we could, um, talk sometime, um... dinner, or, or a drink? When you're feeling stronger.

Buffy sees them talking.

Jenny: Sure, sometime.

Giles reaches out to her, but she takes a backward step up and away from him and draws a deep breath.

Jenny: Yeah. Sometime. (pauses) I better get to class.

Giles: Yes, of course.

He watches her go up the stairs. When she's gone from sight he looks down sadly, and after a moment starts to go to his library. Buffy catches up to him.

Buffy: Hey.

They round the corner and stop.

Buffy: Is she okay?

Giles: Um... The hills are not alive.

Buffy: (doesn't understand) I'm sorry to hear that. I think.

Giles: I don't think she'll ever really forgive me. Maybe she shouldn't.

Buffy: Maybe you should.

Giles: I never wanted you to see that side of me.

Buffy: I'm not gonna lie to you. It was scary. I'm so used to you being a grownup, and (inhales) then I find out that you're a person.

Giles: Most grownups are.

Buffy: Who would've thought?

Giles: Some are even, uh... shortsighted, foolish people.

Buffy: So, after all this time, we finally find out that we *do* have something in common. Which, apart from being a little weird, is kind of okay. (pauses) I think we're supposed to be training right now.

Giles: Yes. Yes. Um, need to concentrate on your flexibility.

Buffy: And you know what? I have just the perfect music. (holds up a black CD) Go on, say it. You know you want to.

Giles: It's not music, it's just, uh, meaningless sounds.

Buffy: There. Feel better?

Giles: Yes. Thanks.

They head into the next hall toward the library.

Giles: Bay City Rollers. Now, that's music.

Buffy: I didn't hear that.