Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

The Master's lair. Collin is tossing stones into the pool. He takes a few more from the Master's hand. Darla comes into the lair.

Master: Zachary didn't return from the hunt last night.

Darla: The Slayer.

Master: Zachary was strong, and he was careful. And still the Slayer takes him... as she has taken so many of my family. (takes a breath) It wears thin. Collin, what would you do about it?

Collin: I'd annihilate her.

Master: (inhales) Out of the mouths of babes...

Darla: (makes her way down) Let me do it, Master. Let me kill her for you.

Master: You have a personal interest in this.

Darla: (disappointed) I don't get to have any fun.

Master: I will send the Three.

Darla: (intrigued) The Three?

Cut to an alley. Three tough guys are lighting up cigarettes. The Three come around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men see them coming and leave.

Cut to the Bronze. A cockroach is being chased along the floor.

Boy: Get it! Go get it, right there!

Girl: I got it!

She holds the roach up to the bartender and drops it into his jar.

Girl: Free drink, please.

The bartender nods his head and goes to get the drink.

Willow: Ah, the fumigation party.

Cut to Buffy and Willow sitting at a table.

Buffy: Hmm?

Willow: It's an annual tradition. The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches?

Buffy: (not paying attention) Oh.

Willow: It's a lot of fun... What's it like where *you* are?

Buffy: (looks up and smiles) I'm... sorry, I was just... thinking about things...

Willow: So, we're talking about a guy?

Buffy: Not exactly a guy. For us to have a conversation about a guy, there'd have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence?

Willow: (smiles) You lack a guy.

Buffy: I do. Which is fine with me, most of the time, but...

Willow: What about Angel?

Buffy: Angel? I can just see him in a relationship. 'Hi, honey, you're in grave danger. I'll see you next month.'

Willow: He's not around much, it's true.

Buffy: (looks dreamily) When he is around... it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys?

Willow: Oh, yeah! (looks over at Xander)

Xander is on the dance floor, making a fool of himself. He dances up to a girl.

Xander: Hey, Annie! (sees her boyfriend) Dino, just leaving!

He backs away and bumps into Cordelia.

Cordelia: Ouch! Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred- dollar shoes!

Xander: I'm sorry, I was just...

Cordelia: ...getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega's boyfriend squashes you like a bug?

Xander: Oh, so you noticed.

Cordelia: Uh-huh.

Xander: Yeah, thanks for being so understanding.

Cordelia: Sure.

Xander: Y'know, hey, I don't know what everyone's talking about. That outfit doesn't make you look like a hooker! (laughs)

He leaves the dance floor and goes over to Buffy and Willow.

Xander: Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. What are you vixens up to?

Willow: Just sitting here, watching our barren lives pass us by. (sees a roach) Oh, look, a cockroach. (stomps it)

Buffy lifts her eyes to see and then turns them back down.

Xander: Whoa, well, let's stop this crazy whirligig of fun! I'm dizzy!

Buffy: Alright, now I'm infecting those nearest and dear to me. I'm gonna call it a night. (gets up)

Willow: Oh, don't go!

Xander: Uh, yeah! It's early! We could, um, dance!

Buffy: Rain check? Good night. (leaves)

Xander lets out a breath. Willow holds her shoe up to him.

Willow: Want a free drink?

Buffy makes her way out of the Bronze looking bummed. She passes the stairs. Angel is watching her go. Buffy senses something and turns to look. Angel is gone. She continues out.

Cut to the street. Buffy is walking home. She senses something and stops to look behind her. Nothing. She continues and walks past an alley. She hears a breath and stops.

Buffy: It's late, I'm tired, and I don't wanna play games. Show yourself.

One of the Three roars and drops down to the sidewalk behind her. She reaches into her coat, pulls out a stake and quickly spins around to stake the vampire. Another of the Three grabs her arm as she swings.

Buffy: (surprised) Wuh!

The third member comes up on her other side and grabs her other arm.

Buffy: Ooo! Okay, okay, nice...

They pull her into the alley and up against a fence. The first one approaches her.

Buffy: Okay, okay... Look, I really don't wanna fight all three of you... unless I have to.

She snap kicks him in the crotch, elbows the third, and tries to punch the second. He blocks her swing and thrusts his knee into her gut, slamming her into the fence. The other two recover and grab her again. The second one slowly approaches her with death in his eyes. Buffy is terrified and struggles to get away.

Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.

23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC) Part 1 23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)

In the alley. The vampire comes up to Buffy, grabs her head and moves in to bite. Angel comes up behind him, grabs him by the hair and pulls him off of her.

Angel: Good dogs don't... (punches the vampire) ...*bite*!

Buffy is surprised, but quickly regains her head. Using the support of the two vampires holding onto her arms, she kicks up with both feet and hits them both in the face with a straddle kick. One of them grabs her again and holds her against the fence. Angel continues to fight the other two, punching one and snap kicking the second. One of them pulls a piece of iron bar off of a window.

Buffy: Look out!

Angel turns around, only to be sliced in the chest with the bar. Buffy shoves an open palm into her assailant's chin, pushing him off of her, punches him once in the gut and then slams both fists into his head. Angel is bent over in pain and is about to be stabbed again. Buffy quickly side kicks his attacker in the face, and he falls back away from Angel. She helps Angel up.

Buffy: Run!

They come running out of the alley. The Three get up and give chase.

Cut to Buffy's street. She and Angel jump over the bushes in front of her house and run onto the porch. The Three are hot on their trail. Buffy gets the front door open.

Buffy: Get in! C'mon!

She rushes inside. Angel is right behind her. Buffy slams the door on one of the vampire's hands. He struggles a moment, but pulls his hand back out. She slams the door shut and locks it. The vampire looks in through the glass. Another one looks in through the window.

Angel: It's alright. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited.

Buffy: I've heard that before, but I've never put it to the test. (leans on the door, sees his wound) Oh... I'll go get some bandages, just... take your jacket and your shirt off.

She heads into the kitchen. Angel looks out the window one last time and follows her. He takes off his jacket and his T-shirt. Buffy looks at him from behind and sees his tattoo of a griffin straddling a large "A" below his right shoulder. She brings over the first aid kit.

Buffy: Nice tattoo. (exhales) I was lucky you came along. (looks up at him) How did you happen to come along? (begins to bandage him)

Angel: I live nearby. I was just out walking.

Buffy: So, you weren't following me? I just had this feeling you were.

Angel: (smiles) Why would I do that?

Buffy: You tell me. You're the Mystery Guy that appears out of nowhere. I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight, but... if you are hanging around I'd like to know why. (finishes bandaging)

Angel: Maybe I like you.

Buffy: Maybe...

They smile at each other. Buffy hears the door open and quickly goes to intercept her mom. She's also worried about the Three outside. She pulls her mom into the house and closes the door.

Joyce: Hi! What are you doing?

Buffy: There's a lot of weird people outside at night...

Joyce starts toward the kitchen. Buffy comes after her.

Buffy: ...I just feel better with you safe and sound inside. You must be beat.

Joyce: I am. We're a little gallery. You have no idea how much...

Buffy: (interrupts) Well, then why don't you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea?

Joyce: That's sweet! (suspiciously) What'd you do?

Buffy: Can't a daughter just be concerned about her mother?

Angel comes into the living room behind Buffy. Joyce sees him.

Joyce: Hi.

Angel: Hi.

Buffy: Oh! Okay... Um... Angel, uh, this is my mom. Mom, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home.

Angel: Nice to meet you.

Joyce: What do you do, Angel?

Buffy: He's a student. (her mother gives her a disbelieving look) Uh, first year community college. Angel's been helping me with my history, you know I've been toiling there.

Joyce: It's a little late for tutoring. I'm gonna go to bed, and, uh, Buffy? (starts up the stairs)

Buffy: I'll say good night and do the same!

Joyce looks back down at her daughter and nods.

Joyce: (to Angel) It was nice to meet you.

Cut to Buffy at the front door holding it open.

Buffy: Good night! We'll hook up soon and do that study thing!

She closes the door. Angel is still there behind it. They go up the stairs and into her room. She closes the door quietly.

Angel: Look, I don't wanna get you in any more trouble...

Buffy: And I don't wanna get you dead. They could still be out there. (moves to the center of the room) So, uh, (realizes) oh... two of us, one bed. That doesn't work. (faces him) Um, why don't you take the bed? Y'know, you're wounded...

Angel: I'll take the floor.

Buffy: Uh, no, that's not...

Angel: (reassuringly) Oh, believe me, I've had worse.

Buffy: Okay. Um, then why don't you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change?

Angel goes over to the window to have a look. Buffy goes to her closet and changes.

Angel: I don't see them.

Buffy: Y'know, I'm the Chosen One, it's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse?

Angel: Uh, somebody has to.

Buffy: Well, what does your family think of your career choice?

Angel: They're dead.

She has finished changing and comes over to him.

Buffy: Was it vampires?

Angel: (faces her) I-it was.

Buffy: I'm sorry.

Angel: It was a long while ago.

Buffy: So, this is a vengeance gig for you.

Angel: (pauses) Y-you even look pretty when you go to sleep.

Buffy: Well, when I wake up it's an entirely different story.

They go over to her bed. She hands him the comforter from it.

Buffy: Here. Sleep tight.

He lays the comforter down on the floor next to her bed. She gets into her bed and he lies on the comforter.

Buffy: Angel?

Angel: Hmm?

Buffy: Do you snore?

Angel: I don't know. It's been a long time since anybody's been in a position to let me know.

He turns his head to look at her. She smiles and settles in to sleep.

Cut to the library the next day.

Xander: He spent the night? In your room? In your bed?

Buffy: Not *in* my bed, *by* my bed.

Willow: That is so romantic! Did you, uh... I mean, did he, uh...

Buffy: (smiling) Perfect gentleman.

The girls exchange smiles.

Xander: Buffy, c'mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book.

Buffy: What? Saving my life? Getting slashed in the ribs?

Xander: Duh! I mean, guys'll do anything to impress a girl. I-I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath. (grins)

Willow: It was pretty impressive. Although later there was an ick factor.

Giles: (coming to the table) Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening? (Buffy sits down) You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. (puts a book in front of her) Did they look like this?

Buffy: Yeah. What's with the uniforms?

Giles: It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong.

Willow: (to Giles) How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on.

Giles: Well, you weren't here from midnight until six researching it.

Willow: No, I was sleeping.

Giles: Uh, o-obviously you're hurting the Master very much. He, he wouldn't send the, the Three for just anyone. We must step up our training with weapons.

Xander: Buffy, you should stay at my house until these Samurai guys are history.

Buffy: (turns to him) What?

Xander: Ah-ah-ah, don't worry about Angel, Willow can run to your house and tell him to get out of town fast.

Giles: Angel and Buffy are, are not in any immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send someone else, but in the mean time the Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance.

Cut to the Master's lair.

Vampire: We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you.

He hands the Master a spear. The Master passes it to Darla. She starts to walk around behind the Three as the Master goes over to Collin.

Master: Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn. (crouches beside him) With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life -- I'm not talking about humans, of course -- is a serious matter.

One of the Three raises his head in hope.

Collin: So you would spare them?

Master: Hmm. (gets up) I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy.

The Master begins to walk away, and Collin follows. Darla watches them go and smiles. She lifts the spear and dispatches the first of the Three. The Master stops and turns to Collin.

Master: Of course, sometimes a little is enough.

He looks over at Darla as she kills the next one, then continues away.

Cut to the school. Cut to the library door. Giles sets out a sign that reads 'Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.' Cut inside. Buffy is checking out the weapons cabinet.

Buffy: Cool! Crossbow! (lifts it out, sees the bolts) Huh. Check out these babies. (takes out a bolt) Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?

Giles: Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later.

He takes the crossbow from her and goes to put it back. Buffy is disappointed.

Giles: You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat. (Buffy looks bored) And let's begin... (comes back with two poles) ...with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training. (hands her one) I speak from experience.

Buffy: Giles, 20th Century? I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck.

Giles: You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting. (puts on his head pads) And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. (grabs his staff) Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we'll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads.

Buffy: (laughs) I'm not gonna need pads to fight you.

Giles: Well, we'll see about that. En garde!

He makes several thrusts and she parries them all. She takes the offensive, pushes his staff to the floor and punches him in the face. She comes around with the staff into his back, and again to knock his legs out from under him. He falls onto his back. She stands over him.

Giles: (stunned) Good. Let's move on to the crossbow.

Cut to the Summers house at night. Cut to Buffy coming into her room. She closes the door and looks around.

Buffy: Angel?

Angel: Hey.

She turns on her desk lamp.

Buffy: Brought you some dinner. It's a little plateless, sorry.

She hands him a plastic bag full of food that she pilfered from dinner. He accepts it and looks at it.

Buffy: So! What'd you do all day?

Angel: Uh, I read a little.

Buffy looks over to her diary. It's out of place.

Angel: And just thought about a lot of things. Buffy, I...

Buffy: My diary? You read my diary? (goes to put it in a drawer) That is *not* okay! A diary is like a person's most private place! (comes back to him) I... You don't even know what I was writing about! 'Hunk' can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that your eyes are 'penetrating', I meant to write 'bulging'.

Angel: Buffy...

Buffy: And 'A' doesn't even stand for 'Angel' for that matter, it stands for... 'Achmed', a charming foreign exchange student, so that whole fantasy part has nothing to even do with you at all...

Angel: Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn't read it, I swear.

She just looks at him.

Buffy: Oh! (looks down, realizing what she just said) Oh.

Angel: I did a lot of thinking today. I really can't be around you. (Buffy looks up) Because when I am...

Buffy: (looks down) Hey, no big. Water... over the bridge, under the bridge...

Angel: When I am all I can ever think about is how badly I want to kiss you.

Buffy: ...over the dam... (looks up at him) Kiss me?

Angel: I'm older than you, and this can't ever... I better go.

Buffy: H-how much older?

Angel: I should...

Buffy: (approaches him) ...go... You said...

They kiss. They kiss again. They kiss passionately. She puts her arm around him. The kiss goes on for several moments. Angel suddenly pulls back and looks away.

Buffy: What? What is it? What's wrong?

He turns to face her and growls. She sees he has his game face on and screams. He takes a last look at her and jumps out of the window. He slides down the roof and off onto the ground. Buffy goes to the window and watches him run away. Her mother comes running into the room.

Joyce: Buffy, what happened?

She backs away from the window. Her mom takes her by the shoulders. She looks at her mom and shakes her head.

Buffy: Uh, nothing. I saw a shadow.

They both look out the window.

23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC) Part 2 23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)

The next morning at Sunnydale High. The team is walking up the steps from the street toward the building.

Willow: Angel's a vampire?

Buffy: I can't believe this is happening. One minute we were kissing, and the next minute... (to Giles) Can a vampire ever be a good person? Couldn't it happen?

Giles: A vampire isn't a person at all. (clears his throat) It may have the movements, the, the memories, even the personality of the person that it took over, but i-it's still a demon at the core, there is no halfway.

Willow: So that'd be a no, huh?

Buffy: Well, then what was he doing? Why was he good to me? Was it all some part of the Master's plan? It doesn't make sense!

They've reached a bench where Willow and Buffy sit.

Xander: Alright, uh... (sits also) ...you have a problem, and it's not a small one. Let's take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively. Angel's a vampire. You're a Slayer. I think it's obvious what you have to do. (grins)

Buffy doesn't react, so Xander looks up to Giles for support.

Giles: (crouches down) Uh, it is a Slayer's duty...

Xander: I-I know you have feelings for this guy, but it's not like you're in love with him, right?

Buffy looks away.

Xander: You're in love with a vampire?! What, are you outta your mind?!

Cordelia: What?!

He looks at Cordelia. She's looking somewhere else, but turns to him.

Xander: (to Cordelia) Not vampire... (to Buffy) How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates 'em!

Cordelia looks back at another girl wearing the same dress she is.

Cordelia: Where did you get that dress? (pursues her) This is a one-of- a-kind Todd Oldham. Do you know how much this dress cost? Is this a knockoff? (checks the label) This is a knockoff, isn't it?! Some cheesy knockoff! This is exactly what happens when you sign these free trade agreements!

The two girls disappear into the building.

Buffy: You think *we* have problems...

Cut to the hall outside Angel's apartment. He comes through the door and goes to his apartment door. He unlocks it and goes in. Cut inside. There are a bunch of old books stacked along the wall. He closes the door and goes over to turn on a lamp. When he straightens back up he senses a presence.

Angel: Who's here?

Darla: A friend.

He quickly faces the voice. Darla comes out of the shadows wearing a Catholic schoolgirl uniform.

Darla: Hi. It's been a while.

Angel: A lifetime.

Darla: Or two, but who's counting?

Angel: What's with the Catholic schoolgirl look? Last time I saw you it was kimonos.

Darla: And last time I saw you it wasn't high school girls. (flares the skirt) Don't cha like? (approaches Angel) Remember Budapest? Turn of the century? You were such a bad boy during that earthquake.

Angel: You did some damage yourself.

Darla: Is there anything better than a natural disaster? (walks away) The panic. The people lost in the streets. It's like picking fruit off the vine. (reaches the bed) Nice! You're living above ground, like one of them. You and your new friend are attacking us, like one of them. (walks to the window) But guess what, precious? You're not one of them.

She draws the window blinds open, letting in a stream of sunlight. Angel is blinded, and he stumbles backward to get out of the light.

Darla: Are you?

Angel: No. But I'm not exactly one of you either.

Darla: (walks to the fridge) Is that what you tell yourself these days?

She opens the refrigerator and sees the bags and bottles of human blood.

Darla: You're not exactly living off quiche. (closes the fridge) You and I both know what you hunger for. (goes over to him) What you need. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's who we are. It's what makes eternal life worth living. (smiles and touches him) Mm. You can only suppress your real nature for so long. You can feel it brewing inside of you. I hope I'm around when it explodes.

Angel: Maybe you don't wanna be.

Darla: I'm not afraid of you. I bet she is, though. (starts to leave) Or maybe I'm underestimating her. Talk to her. Tell her about the curse. Maybe she'll come around. And if she still doesn't trust you, you know where I'll be.

She exits the apartment, leaving an angry Angel behind.

Cut to the library. Buffy is looking through a book. So are Willow and Xander. Giles comes up behind Xander and startles him.

Giles: Here's something at last.

Xander: Can you please warn us before you do that?

Giles: There's nothing about Angel in the texts, but it suddenly occurred to me that it's been ages since I've read the diaries of any of the watchers before me.

Willow: (to Buffy) That musta been so embarrassing when you thought he had read your diary, but then it turned out he hadn't, but then he felt the same way... (Xander gives her a look) I'm listening.

Giles: There's mention some two hundred years ago in Ireland of, of Angelus, the one with the angelic face.

Buffy: They got that right.

Xander: (clears his throat) I'm not saying anything, I have nothing to say.

Giles: Does this, uh, Angel have, um, a tattoo behind his right shoulder?

Buffy: Yeah, it's a, it's a bird or something.

Xander: Now I'm sayin' something. You saw him naked?

Willow: So, Angel's been around for a while.

Giles: Not long for a vampire. Uh, two hundred and forty years or so.

Buffy: Huh! Two hundred and forty. Well, he said he was older.

Giles: (sits and looks through the diary) Angelus leaves Ireland, uh, wreaks havoc in, in Europe for, uh, several decades, and then, um, about eighty years ago, the most curious thing happens. He, he comes to, uh, to America, um, shuns other vampires, and, and lives alone. There's, there's no, no record of him hunting here.

Willow: So he *is* a good vampire! I mean, on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's killing and maiming every night, and one being someone who's... not.

Giles: I say that there's no record, but, uh, vampires hunt and kill. It's, it's what they do.

Xander: Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly.

Buffy: He could've fed on me. He didn't.

Xander: Question: a hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then?

Giles: Uh, like all of them. Uh, a vicious, violent animal.

Cut to the Master's lair.

Darla: Don't think I'm not grateful, you letting me kill the Three.

Master: How can my children learn if I do everything for them?

Darla: But you've gotta let me take care of the Slayer.

Master: Oh! You're giving me orders now!

Darla: (walks away) Okay, then, we'll just do nothing while she takes us out one by one.

Master: Do I sense a plan, Darla? (she turns around) Share...

Darla: (walks back) Angel kills her and comes back to the fold.

Master: Angel! He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him.

Darla: So do I.

Master: (considers) Why would he kill her if he feels for her?

Darla: To keep her from killing him.

Master: Hmm. (to Collin) You see how we all work together for the common good? That's how a family is supposed to function!

Cut to the school at night.

Willow: Okay, so let's review.

Cut to the library. Buffy and Willow are studying.

Willow: Reconstruction began when? (looks up) Buffy?

Buffy: Huh? (comes back to earth) Oh! Um, reconstruction... Uh, reconstruction began after the... construction, which was... shoddy, so they had to reconstruct.

Willow: After the destruction of the Civil War.

Buffy: Right. Civil War. During which Angel was already, like, a hundred and change...

Willow: Are we gonna talk about boys, or are we gonna help you pass history?

Buffy looks up at Willow. She closes the book.

Willow: Sometimes I have this fantasy that Xander's just gonna grab me and kiss me right on the lips. (huge smile)

Buffy: You want Xander, you've gotta speak up, girl!

Willow: No, no, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms.

Darla peeks out from behind the stacks.

Willow: Okay, so here's something I gotta know. When Angel kissed you... I mean before he turned into... how was it?

Buffy: (smiles) Unbelievable!

Darla continues to watch and listen.

Willow: Wow! And it is kinda novel how he'll stay young and handsome forever, although you'll still get wrinkly and die, and... Oh, and what about the children? (Buffy looks at her) I'll be quiet now.

Buffy: No, it's okay. I need to hear this. I need to get over him so I can...

Willow: So that you can... (makes a stabbing gesture)

Buffy: Like Xander said, I'm the Slayer, and he's a... vampire. God, I can't! He's never done anything to hurt me... (collects herself) Okay, no, I need to stop thinking about this. Okay, let's give another half an hour and maybe something will sink in. And then I'm going home for some major moping.

Darla smiles and backs away.

Willow: Okay. The era of the congressional reconstruction, usually called radical...

Cut to the Summers house. Cut inside to the kitchen where Joyce is doing her taxes and having coffee. She hears creaking on the porch outside and gets up to investigate. She looks out the door window and sees nothing. She opens the door a bit and still there's nothing. She closes the door and heads to the front. Darla looks in, sporting her game face. Joyce walks slowly through the living room and hears a knocking on the door. She looks out, sees Darla in her human guise and opens the door.

Joyce: Hello?

Darla: Hi! I'm Darla? A friend of Buffy's?

Joyce: Oh! (exhales) Nice to meet you.

Darla: (exhales) She didn't mention anything about me coming over for a study date, did she?

Joyce: No, I thought she was studying with Willow at the library.

Darla: She is. Willow's the Civil War expert, but then I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kinda goes back to those days.

Joyce: Well, I, I know she's supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait?

Darla: (comes in) It's very nice of you to invite me into your home. (smiles)

Joyce: You're welcome. I've been wrestling with the IRS all night. Would you like something to eat? (starts to the kitchen)

Darla: (follows) Yes, I would!

She looks at Joyce's neck. Cut to the kitchen.

Joyce: Let's see what we have. Do you feel like something little or something big?

Darla: (vamped out) Something big!

Cut outside. Angel comes walking up to the house. He almost knocks, but then decides to leave. As he goes he hears Joyce scream. He runs around to the back door and kicks it in. He sees Darla biting Joyce.

Angel: Let her go!

Darla: I just had a little, there's plenty more. Aren't you hungry for something warm after all this time? Come on, Angel. Just say 'Yes'!

She shoves Joyce into Angel's arms so he can see the bite and smell the blood. He struggles with himself and looks away from the bite. Darla watches with a big smile. Angel looks up at her again with his game face on.

Darla: Welcome home!

She walks around them and leaves the house. Angel continues to struggle with himself. Buffy comes in from the dining room, and Angel looks up.

Buffy: Hey! I'm home.

She turns toward him and freezes with fear. Angel bares his fangs and growls.

23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC) Part 3 23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)

The Summers house. Cut to the living room window. Angel flies through it and tumbles over the porch, through the bushes and onto the lawn. Buffy comes over to the broken window and looks out at him as he gets up.

Buffy: You're not welcome here. You come near us and I'll kill you.

Angel just looks at her. She goes back inside. He turns to leave.

Cut inside. Buffy grabs the phone, dials 911 and goes over to kneel by her mother.

Buffy: Mom! Mom, can you hear me?! (the operator answers) Yes, I need an ambulance, 1630 Revello Drive! My mother cut herself, she lost a lot of blood! Please, please hurry! (drops the phone) Mom!

Xander: Hey, Buffy!

She looks up to see Xander and Willow come in through the kitchen door.

Xander: Oh, my God!

Willow: What happened?!

Buffy: Angel!

Cut to the hospital. Giles rushes down the corridor trying to find Joyce's room.

Buffy: Do you remember anything, Mom?

Cut inside the room.

Joyce: Just, um, your friend came over... I was gonna make a snack...

Buffy: (misunderstands) My friend?

Giles comes in.

Joyce: I guess I slipped and cut my neck on... The doctor said it looked like a barbecue fork. (looks at Buffy) We don't have a barbecue fork. (looks at Giles) Are you another doctor?

Buffy: (looks to see) Oh! Um... No, Mom, this is Mr. Giles.

Joyce: Oh, the librarian from your school! (confused) What's he doing here?

Giles: Uh, I-I just came to pay my respects, wish you a speedy recovery.

Joyce: Boy, the teachers really *do* care in this town.

Buffy: Get some rest now.

She gives her mom a kiss, and they all go outside the room. Cut to the hall.

Buffy: She's gonna be okay. They, they gave her some iron... Her, uh, blood count was a, a little...

Giles: ...a little low. It presents itself like mild anemia. Uh, you, you were, uh, lucky you got to her as soon as you did.

Buffy: Lucky? Stupid.

Xander: Buff, it's not your fault.

Buffy: No? I invited him into my home. Even after I knew who he was, what he was, and I didn't do anything about it... 'cause I had feelings for him, because I cared about him.

Willow: If you care about somebody you care about them. You can't change that by...

Buffy: ...killing them? Maybe not. But I think it's a start. (starts to leave)

Xander: Uh, we'll keep an eye on your mom.

Giles: (chases after her) Buffy! (blocks her way)

Buffy: You can't stop me. The Three found me near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby.

Giles: This is no ordinary vampire. (whispers) If there is such a thing. Now, he knows you, he, he's faced the Three! I think this is gonna take more than a simple stake.

Buffy: So do I.

Cut to the armory in the library. Buffy loads the crossbow with bolts.

Darla: She's out hunting you right now.

Cut to Angel's apartment.

Darla: She wants to kill you.

Angel: Leave me alone.

Darla: What did you think? Did you think she would understand? That she would look at your face... your true face... and give you a kiss?

Cut to Buffy in the library. She takes a practice shot at an anti- smoking poster and nails the guy in the heart.

Darla: For a hundred years you've not (Buffy lowers the bow) had a moment's peace because you will not (cut to the apartment) accept who you are. That's all you have to do. Accept it. Don't let her hunt you down. Don't whimper and mewl like a mangy human. Kill! Feed! Live!

She has pushed Angel to the limit. He jumps up and shoves her against the wall with her arms pinned up.

Angel: Alright!

Darla: What do you want?

Angel: I want it finished!

Darla: That's good. You're hurting me. (smiles) That's good, too.

Cut to outside the Bronze. Buffy has the crossbow held ready. She comes through a hole in a fence and goes toward the entrance. She hears glass breaking above her and turns to the noise. She looks around as she goes to the wall where there's a ladder. She starts to climb.

Joyce: She talks about you all the time.

Cut to the hospital room.

Joyce: It's important to have teachers who make an impression.

Giles: She makes quite an impression herself.

Joyce: I-I know she's having trouble with history. I-is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself?

Giles: She lives very much in the 'now', um, and, uh, history, of course, is, is very much about the, uh... the 'then'. B-b-but there's no reason...

Joyce: She's studying with Willow, she's studying with Darla, I-I mean, she is trying.

Giles: Darla? I-I-I don't believe I know, uh...

Joyce: Her friend, the one who came over tonight.

Giles: Darla came to your house tonight? Sh-she's the friend that you mentioned earlier?

Joyce: Poor thing, I must've frightened her half to death when I fainted. Someone should really check and make sure she's alright.

Giles: (gets up) Yes, someone should, right away. I'll do it. (grabs his coat and leaves)

Joyce: That school is amazing!

Cut to the hall. He walks with Willow and Xander.

Giles: We have a problem.

Cut to the Bronze. Buffy comes down the stairs. When she gets to the bottom she quickly turns to have a look around. Angel backs into the shadows. Buffy hears a noise and pivots toward it.

Buffy: I know you're there. And I know what you are.

Angel: Do you?

She faces his voice.

Angel: I'm just an animal, right?

Buffy: You're not an animal. Animals I like.

She keeps looking around her. He growls and comes out of the shadows to face her. She trains the crossbow on him.

Angel: Let's get it done!

He growls and begins to run. He jumps onto a pool table. Buffy follows him with her aim and shoots, but misses. Angel jumps up onto the catwalk above. Buffy can't see him in the shadows. He swings down and kicks her in the back, knocking her onto a pool table. She does a standing back kick at him behind her and sends him into the wall. She runs around the table and dives for the crossbow. She rolls onto her back and takes aim at him. He slowly gets up and growls.

23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC) Part 4 23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)23:50, February 24, 2017 (UTC)

The Bronze. Angel is in his game face and Buffy has her crossbow trained on him. Angel morphs back into his human form.

Angel: C'mon! Don't go soft on me now!

Buffy launches the bolt. It hits the wall next to him.

Angel: Little wide.

Buffy: Why? (gets up) Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it a joke? To make me feel for you and then... I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before.

Angel: Feels good, doesn't it? Feels simple.

Buffy: I invited you into my home and then you attacked my family!

Angel: Why not? I killed mine. I killed their friends... and their friend's children... For a hundred years I offered ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart.

Buffy: What changed?

Angel: Fed on a girl about your age... beautiful... dumb as a post... but a favorite among her clan.

Buffy: Her clan?

Angel: Romany. Gypsies. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul.

Buffy: What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?

Angel: When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but it doesn't get your soul. That's gone! No conscience, no remorse... It's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done... and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day.

Buffy: So you started with my mom?

Angel: I didn't bite her.

Buffy: Then why didn't you say something?

Angel: But I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight.

Buffy looks at her bow and back at Angel. She puts the bow down on the floor and approaches him. She offers her neck.

Buffy: Go ahead.

He just looks at her in silence.

Buffy: Not as easy as it looks.

Darla: Sure it is!

They turn toward the voice and see Darla coming out of the shadows.

Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander are walking down a street.

Willow: We're near the Bronze. What now?

Giles: Keep looking for her.

Xander: I have a question: what if we find her and she's fighting Angel and some of his friends? What the heck are we gonna do about it?

Cut to the Bronze.

Darla: Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?

Buffy: Bad hair on top of that outfit?

Darla: To love someone who used to love you.

Buffy: (looks at Angel) You guys were involved?

Darla: For several generations.

Buffy: Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes.

Darla: (smiles) I made him. There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die. (smiles) You don't think I came alone, do you?

Buffy: I know I didn't.

She kicks the bow up into her hands and aims it at Darla.

Darla: Hmm, scary.

She produces two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand.

Darla: Scarier!

She shoots Angel. He staggers back onto a post.

Darla: Oh, don't worry. Bullets can't kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell, but... (giggles)

Buffy retreats. Darla starts shooting at her. Buffy does a diving shoulder roll over a pool table and takes cover behind it. Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander hear the shots from inside the Bronze.

Xander: Did you just hear...

They run to find a way in. Cut inside. Buffy reloads the crossbow.

Darla: So many body parts, so few bullets. Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them.

She caps off a few more rounds, and the pool table takes a few hits. Buffy pops up with the crossbow and takes a shot at Darla. She doubles over when it hits her in the abdomen. Buffy watches as she straightens back up again.

Darla: Close, but no heart.

She grabs the bolt, pulls it out and tosses it aside. Cut to Giles, Willow and Xander crawling along the floor.

Xander: We need to distract her, fast!

Willow: (calls out) Buffy, it wasn't Angel who attacked your mom, it was Darla!

Darla turns toward the voice and lets loose a hail of bullets as they hug the floor for cover. Angel pulls the bolt from the wall. Darla turns her attention back on Buffy and hops up onto the pool table. Buffy jumps up, grabs the edge of the table and pulls, knocking Darla onto her back. She pushes the table away and starts to run for cover. Darla fires off a few rounds as she rides the table across the floor. Buffy leaps for cover over a glass case in a dive roll as bullets break it all around her. The pool table has stopped sliding, and Darla gets up to look for Buffy. She hops off of it and advances on the counter while shooting. Giles gets up and messes with the lighting system controls. The strobes come on. Darla looks up at him and stops shooting. Buffy takes the opportunity to change position. Darla sees her move and lets loose another volley.

Darla: C'mon, Buffy. Take it like a man!

Angel comes up behind her, roars and plunges the bolt into her back. She is surprised and cries out in pain. She turns to look at her attacker.

Darla: Angel?

She falls to the floor and bursts into ashes. Buffy rises up to see. Angel looks up from Darla's ashes at Buffy. She comes out from behind the counter. He looks at her a moment longer and then turns and leaves. Buffy is speechless and just watches him go.

Cut to the Master's lair. He screams as he wields a tall candleholder and smashes it in anger. He flails out with his arms and knocks other things over. Finally he sinks to the ground in grief. Collin comes over to him.

Collin: Forget her.

Master: (looks up angrily) How dare you? She was my favorite. For four hundred years...

Collin: She was weak. You don't need her. I'll bring you the Slayer.

Master: (despondently) But to lose her to Angel! He was to have sat at my right hand, come the day. And now...

Collin: They're all against you. But soon you shall rise. And when you do... (puts a hand on the Master's shoulder) ...we kill them all.

The Master smiles at him and gets up. Collin takes his hand and leads him away.

Cut to later at the Bronze.

Xander: Ah, the post-fumigation party.

Buffy: Okay, so what's the difference between this and the pre- fumigation party?

Xander: Much hardier cockroaches.

Willow: So, no word from Angel?

Buffy: Nah. It's weird, though. In his way I feel like he's still watching me.

Willow: Well, in a way he sort of is. In the way of that he's right over there.

Buffy looks over where Willow is looking and sees Angel. She briefly looks back at Willow and then heads over to him.

Xander: I don't need to watch because I'm not threatened. Just gonna look this way.

He and Willow sit at a table with him facing away from Buffy and Angel. Willow watches as Buffy makes her way over to Angel. The crowd is slow dancing to "I'll remember you", by Sophie Zelmani.

Lyrics: Did they know what they wanted / The times they kissed me? / And your hands / I held in mine

Buffy and Angel reach each other.

Angel: I just wanted to see if you were okay. And your mother.

Buffy: We're both good. You?

Angel: If I can go a little while without getting shot or stabbed I'll be alright. Look, this can't...

Buffy: ...ever be anything. I know. For one thing, you're, like, two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am.

Angel: I just gotta... I gotta walk away from this.

Buffy: (nods) I know. Me, too. (whispers) One of us has to go here.

Angel: (whispers) I know.

They look at each other a moment longer and then close in to kiss. Their kiss becomes passionate. Buffy reaches her hands up to Angel's neck.

Lyrics: Your eyes / That always make me shiver / Now they are closed / They just sometimes twitch a little

Cut to Willow and Xander.

Xander: What's going on?

Willow: Nothin'...

Xander: Well, as long as they're not kissing.

Willow just watches and says nothing. Cut to Angel and Buffy.

Lyrics: And your body / I could hold for an hour / It sent me to Heaven / With its heat and power

They separate.

Buffy: You okay?

Angel: It's just...

Buffy: ...painful. I know. See you around?

Lyrics: I'll remember you / You will be there in my heart / I'll remember you / And that is all that I can do / But I'll remember

Buffy walks away. Angel watches her go. The camera pans down to his chest where her cross has left a deep burn.