Help! Stop, please! Please...
What's going on?
Please get me out of here
Is someone hurt?
DRIVE!
Well that was... are you all right?
Thank you. Thank God you were there...
Well, let's not give Him credit for everything... No, I'm funnin' ya. I don't believe in coincidence.
I also don't believe young girls should be out in the woods late at night. Should be tucked in bed.
Wish I was.
I expect you do at that. I don't mean to pry, but those boys looked kinda like... well, you didn't happen to fall in with Devil worshippers, did you?
I'm sorry. It looks like you've been traveling a while.
And I didn't think... is there somewhere you want me to drop you? Are you headed somewhere?
Sunnydale.
Going there myself. Never been, but I expect we could find a police station...
I just need to get to Revello Drive. But thanks, Uh, Father...?
Call me Caleb. I never was nobody's daddy.
I'm... Shannon.
Well, Shannon, you feel like telling me why those freaky joes were after you?
I'm not sure.
Did you ever give thought that maybe they were chasing you because you're a whore?
What?
I know what you're thinking: "Crazy Preacher Man, spoutin' off about the Whore of Babylon" or some such. That ain't me. I'm not here to lecture you. What's the point? My words just curdle in your ears, you don't take in a thing. So much filth inside your head, ain't no room for the words of truth. You know what you are, Shannon?
Dirty.
I'm not... I don't want
There's no blame here. You were born dirty. Born without a soul, born with that gaping maw that wants to open up and suck out a man's marrow. Makes me puke to think too hard on it.
Yeah, that door there's problematical. Don't know as I can recommend stepping out at this speed, either. Like as not to tumble some. Then there's my boys back there, they hate to miss a mark.
Your boys...
Well, they ain't exactly my blue-eyed boys, but they're hard workers. And they don't truck with Satan, that was me havin' fun.
Satan is a little man.
I don't like back seat drivers.
Please... don't hurt me...
Is this the part where you offer to do anything? 'Cause I've tried to make it clear you have nothing I want to explore.
That's right! That's a cleansing fire! Hallelujah!
If I'm not mistaken there should be a car a little ways behind us. And I believe there's some folk in it heading to the same place you are. Now I got a message for you to deliver, but it's not for them. It's for the other one. The one and only, original, accept-no-substitutes- Slayer. Can you tell her something for me?
Y-yes.
Well thank you Shannon.
Now let's see if we can't do something about that door.
Goddess... can you hear me... can you talk?
She's bleeding badly. We need to get her to a hospital.
Yep. Guess I'm back in Sunnydale.
I know it's hard...
I haven't been able to sleep the last few nights.
Hey -- listen. It's gonna be okay. Buffy knows what she's doing. She's not gonna send you into battle until she's sure you're ready for action.
That's just it, though. How will I know I'm ready?
For action.
You have to trust us.
I'm so scared, Xander... and I'm so young...
Believe it or not, I was younger than you when I started all this.
There's just so much I haven't done. So much I need to do. It's like, I've never had a real boyfriend, you know?
Yeah?
I've never been with a man... I could die tomorrow...
And I've never been with a man...
Well... uh...
I've never been with a man before either...
And I've never been with her in front of a man before.
I've never been with her in front of a man before either.
Um...
Xander...
We're so scared.
The others will hear us.
No they won't.
They're okay.
Xander! Goddamn it.
Wha -- What's going --
I'm sleeping.
Dominique has the stomach flu and the toilet's backed up.
It actually backed up while she was on the toilet. And she has the stomach flu.
You should probably visualize that before you go in there, it'll make it easier to deal with.
Be right out. Just have a... leg cramp.
You sure she's one of us?
She don't look like much now. Not a potential Slayer, I mean.
Dunno. Seems to fit, though. We'll know more when she regains consciousness.
If she regains consciousness. Gir"s been gutted like a catfish.
Yeah...
Something's killing girls all over the world, trying to end the Slayer line... Thing like that, figure I might get a heads-up.
Faith...
Guess it doesn't really matter. Long as you got the true Slayer intact.
You were in prison. We figured you were safe there.
Yeah, that's prison. Safe as a kitten.
Sorry. I - I don't know a lot about "the big house."
Was it... I mean, did something happen in there.
Someone came at me with this wicked looking knife. Didn't know why... not 'til now.
Faith... we didn't think --
Forget it. 'S cool. I get by.
What do we do about her?
We should find Buffy, tell her what's going on. I tried calling home -- Dawn says she's out patrolling.
Let's go look for her. Cemetery's more fun anyway.
One of us should stay here. In case she wakes up.
Fine. Sit tight. I'll be back.
Wait... maybe you meeting Buffy alone isn't the best idea...
You told her the sitch, right? She knows I'm coming. Prob'ly up all night hangin' streamers...
Yeah. It's not like you guys are study buddies exactly. Maybe it'd be better if I... eased her into the whole thing.
I can't stay here, Willow. Spent too much time in hospitals. We don't click. Don't worry...
I'm sure we'll all get along fine.
What'cha wanna do to her, vamp? Somethin' like this?
Nice punch you got there.
Let me guess... Leather pants, hard right cross, doe-eyes, holier-than- thou glower...
You must be Faith.
Oh goody. I'm famous.
Heard you were coming. Right. Bit of a misunderstanding here. I'm --
Spike. We met before.
We have? I don't think--
Bloody hell! What are you doing -- I'm on your side!
Yeah?
Maybe you haven't heard. I'm reformed.
So am I!
I reformed way before you did.
Stop... hitting... me. We're on the same side.
Please. You think I'm stupid?
Well, yes.
You were attacking that girl!
Oops. Sorry, Faith. Didn't realize that was you.
'S all right, B. Luckily you still punch like you used to.
You okay?
Yeah. T'riffic.
You protecting vampires? Are you the bad Slayer now?
Am I the good Slayer now?
He's with me. He's got a soul.
He's like Angel?
No.
Sort of.
I'm nothing like Angel.
He fights on my side. Which is more than I can say for some of us.
Yeah? Well, if he's so good, why's he chasing down defenseless --
That's one of the bad guys.
You should make 'em wear signs...
May I? Thanks.
Ange"s dull as a table lamp. And we have very different coloring.
Okay. Catching up. Anything else I gotta know?
Nice to have you back.
Whoa! Memory lane. Same old house.
Every piece of it's been destroyed and replaced since you left, so, actually, new house.
We've got another new houseguest.
Hey. Got a spare bed for a wanted fugitive?
Hello, Faith.
Huh. Guess "wanted" wasn't so accurate.
Does she have to stay here? 'Cause there's some nice hotels that welcome tried-to-kill-your-sister-types.
Check it out, brat's all woman-sized.
Guys, we need to go to the hospital. A girl was attacked on her way into town. She may be a --
We know. Willow's been calling.
She's still there. She'll call if the girl wakes up.
Fine.
Well, Faith. I guess we should try to find a place to squeeze you in tonight.
Not all that tension was about you. Giles was part of a plan to kill me for Buffy's own good.
Well, that makes me feel better about me.
Worse about Giles.
Kinda shaky about you.
Drink of this, for it is my blood.
You know, I loved the story of the last supper, the body, the blood of Christ becoming rich red wine... I recall as a boy though I couldn't help thinking, what if you're at the last supper and you ordered the white? Nice oakey chardonnay, or a white zin, was he gonna make that out of his lymph or some all? I never did bring it up, but... well I suppose there was reason I never could stay with the same parish for very long. Just looking for answers -- looking for the Lord -- in the wrong damn places. 'Til you showed me the light.
Do you think I'm God?
I, surely do not. I'm beyond concepts like that.
But you still wear the outfit...
Man can't turn his back on what he come from. Besides, black is slimming. Everyone knows that.
How do you like what I'm wearing?
Just another dirty girl. And since you only dress up in dead folk, I'm guessing it's one has been paid her wage.
Look hard.
What do you see?
Strength. And the loneliness that comes with real strength.
Nothing about my pert and bouncy hairdo?
You're her.
The Slayer.
At long last...
All the work I done for you, blowing up the council, organizing the Ray Charles Brigade, and stickin' all those splits... you never showed me.
Well you've earned it. And you'll be meeting her soon. Am I right?
Oh yeah. She'll get the message.
And what makes you so sure she'll come?
Curiosity. Woman's first sin. I offer her an apple, what can she do but take it?
See you soon.
Her name alone invokes awe. "Faith." A set of principles or beliefs...
Let's make sure we get that shot of Faith putting her hands above her head from "Bad Girls" in here.
Upon which you're willing to devote your life.
The Dark Slayer. A lethal combination of beauty, power, and death. For years and years -- or to be more accurate, months -- Faith fought on the side of good...
Terrorizing even the most silent and deadly members of the evil community.
But, like so many tragic heroes, Faith was seduced by the lure of the dark side.
She wrapped evil around her like a large, evil poncho. She became a cold-blooded killer.
Nobody was immune to her trail of destruction. Not friends, not family...
Not even the most pacifist and logical of races...
What the hell are you talking about?
I thought Faith killed a vulcanologist.
Silly, silly Amanda... Why would Faith kill a person who studies Vulcans?
He studied volcanos. He was a professor.
Ah.
Well, regardless.
Thought you weren't supposed to be doing this any more. Making up these stories.
I'm not. This is true, except for that... possible word misunderstanding. And there are some things you need to know.
Faith has a history that is not to be taken lightly.
She's a killer. Never forget that. You must stay on guard around Faith at all times. Your very lives may depend on it.
There is a girl in the backyard doing gymnastics.
You look better.
No, I don't.
No, you don't.
But I'll be okay. Unless, of course, you start beating on me now.
I won't. I thought about it some, drew a couple little doodles, but... look... far as I'm concerned, we're on even ground. I meant what I said before -- I don't have time for your vendettas -- but I need you in this fight. I want you on my side.
Thank you. That means a lot.
So we're good.
Absolutely.
You're fired.
That makes me feel so much -- What?
Effective immediately.
You're firing me? I just refrained from kicking your ass!
Buffy, there's nothing here for you. People are leaving town, half the kids don't even bother to show up anymore... You've got things to deal with that're worse than anything here. Look at the big picture.
Right. The big picture of the big war with all the dead little girls.
Not dead. Not if you get them ready.
I don't want to lead them into a war, Robin. War can't be the right thing.
Most wars aren't. They aren't right and they aren't necessary and humans kill other humans. This isn't that war. The only question about this one is are you going to be ready for it?
I don't know. These girls... they haven't been tested in battle.
Then I guess... maybe you should test them?
Couldn't I just come to work part- time? I could make flyers for encounter groups and post them around the school. Kids could bring snacks--
And you're fired again. Remember, Buffy...
"The mission's what matters."
You craving a moment alone in the dank - or can I bum one?
Guess you can smoke all you want. The "big C" not really an issue.
Teeth get yellow. Over an eternity. You gotta watch that.
Huh.
Right. Not what it looks like-
Hey, to each his own. This one guy I ran with? He liked me to dress up like a school girl while he put his head in a noose and-
I got dangerous for a while.
This before the soul or after?
After. But I'm over it. In case you get feeling dust-happy again after your long incarceration.
Not if you're all repent-y. Takes the fun out of it.
No more Starbucks for the wannabes, man. They've been spazzing for, like, hours.
Yeah. Gets a bit much up there.
They're good girls. Green, is all.
So how come you're not up there imparting?
That's Buffy's thing. Anyway - I just spent a good stretch of time locked away with a mess of female types. Kinda had my fill.
But you waited until Angel needed you to break out of jail.
Three squares, nice weight room and a movie every third Sunday. Coulda been worse.
What movie?
Last one was "Glitter."
Guess it couldn't've been worse.
You had the power to walk away anytime. Nothing to stop you.
I stopped me.
I got dangerous for a while.
You over it?
More or less. I pull for the good guys now.
What's the "less?"
Usual stuff.
Such as?
I was thinking about looking up the guy with the noose.
Long incarceration.
You could do better. School girl thing is old hat.
It's all old hat, man. Every guy has some whack fantasy. Scratch the surface of even the most crunchy granola dude? Naughty nurses and horny cheerleaders. I figure - you can't beat 'em...
Join 'em.
Just don't forget who's on top.
I suspect that would be you.
Got that right.
I met you before, you know.
Yeah. You made quite an impression on my chin.
Not in the graveyard. Before that. I was kinda wearing a different body.
Pity.
You seemed okay with it.
The body swap. With Buffy.
She fill you in on that whole deal?
Told me it went down. Failed to mention who was driving her skin around.
I may have said a few things.
Like you could ride me at a gallop until my legs buckled... Squeeze me 'til I popped like warm champagne?
Not the sorta thing a man forgets.
Shoulda known it wasn't blondy behind the wheel. She'd never throw down like that.
You have been away.
Don't tell me miss tightly wound is gettin' her naughty on.
Not of late.
Wow, everybody's full of surprises.
Hey B.
Nice to see you two getting on so well.
Yeah. You know all the cool vampires.
Yeah...
Aren't you usually at work about now?
Right. I kinda... I decided to cut back my hours.
Buffy? Is that you?
I'm down here!
Figure I'm better off focusing on what's going on around here.
Buffy - Willow just called from the hospital.
The gir"s awake.
He was a minister or something... at least he dressed like one. I thought he was trying to save me... at first.
He picked you up on the side of the road?
The Bringers were chasing me...
He said they were "his boys..."
Right before he burned me.
He wanted to tell you something. Before he... cut me... he told me to give the slayer a message.
What was it?
He said, "I have something of yours."
Oh boy. Do we have a full house.
We've got a new player in town. Dresses like a preacher. Calls himself Caleb. Looks like he's working for The First.
So he's like... The Second?
He's taunting us. Calling us out. Says he has something of mine. Could be another girl. Could be something else. Don't know. Don't care.
I'm tired of talking. I'm tired of training. He's got something of mine? Fine. I'm getting it back.
And you guys are coming with me.
You're searching for something, girl. What would that be now?
Oh. You. I was looking for you.
That right?
I heard you speaking tonight. Preaching. I felt your words going straight to me.
The truth is like a sword, isn't it, girl? Cuts deep.
Yeah.
I got warm. The words made me feel that way. I got warm. It was your words made me feel that way. All that power you was talking about. The temple coming down, and the end of days.
Your words are strong, Preacher.
You liked 'em.
Words I use got a power to 'em. Power, now. They're not just "words." They're Truth.
They brought me here.
They called you.
She nods.
Felt like.
And so you followed. Know why?
Tell me, Preacher.
Because you're human. You got your urges. A woman's got hers, a Man's got his. Our whole race can be so damnably weak. It's why we seek the strength. That Power.
It's not wrong to be drawn to the Power? Is it, Preacher?
No, child. Not wrong.
Just human.
Most people don't like visits from their dead, you know.
It's okay with me. Might unsatisfying's all. I must confess I miss the bite of flesh on a knife. Freeing a soul from its body should have a, a tug to it
You can't complain. You tricked that girl. She followed you.
I only told her the Truth. And as for following...
There'll be others.
Start arming the girls. I want to be ready to move when we find him.
We don't even know where we're going.
That's why I figured we'd do a little recon first, see what we can find out.
You up for it?
Point me where you want me.
But are you certain this is the best course of action? You don't even know what this man has of yours, if he in fact has anything.
It could be a girl. A potential trying to get to us.
It could be a stapler.
I'm going in anyway.
With the girls? Most of them have yet to be in the field at all, let alone in a life-or-death situation.
Then it's time we test 'em. We'll just take the ones who've been with us the longest. The rest can stay here.
Could be that's what he wants you to do. O" bait and switch.
He lures us away, then kills all the girls we leave behind.
I know.
That's why I want you to stay with them.
You're my most powerful weapon, Will. You can keep these girls safe if something happens.
Unknown man breezes into town, says he has something of yours... Buffy, this thing's got "trap" written all over it.
He won't be expecting a full attack. Not this soon. That's why we have to move.
We know nothing about this man. We cannot go into battle without preparation. We need time.
Giles. We don't have time. And you're not going into battle. I need you to stay behind with the others.
Help the girls who still need a teacher.
No eyes, but lookit him go. He got sonar or something?
Or something I guess. They're pretty good when they attack.
They say your other senses get better. Maybe all blind people are smokin' in a knife fight.
Not sayin' it's likely.
They just roam free 'round town?
Well, normally they show up out of nowhere and either stab or get stabbed and then run off.
This guy seems like he wants to be found.
Lends weight to that whole "it's a trap" theory.
I'm through waiting around for people to attack us.
Hey, I'm with you. Drop me in the hornet's nest. What the hell.
You've got a rough sitch here. Trying to turn a bunch of little girls into an army.
They're potential Slayers. Just like we were.
Right. Maybe they'll do as good as us.
They're getting better.
I'll work with 'em. Some of 'em seem real eager. Fashion disasters yeah, but ready to fight.
Why'd you come back?
Willow said you needed me. Didn't give it a lot of thought. Do you... Am I getting you want me to be not here?
No. That's not what I meant. I'm... glad you're here. It's good.
Thank you.
No prob. You know me, I'm all about the good deeds.
Willow told me you helped out Angel.
Yeah. He says "hey."
Really?
Sure.
Buffy nods, takes a moment, then:
How is he?
Better. Had to do this whole magical mindwalk with him.
You were in Ange"s mind.
Yeah. Very weird. We got close. Saw all sorts of heavy stuff from his past. Tripped 'me out.
Uh-huh.
That whole vampire-with-a-soul tip, interesting isn't it? I mean, the darkness and the light. I can see it in Spike.
So... how much did you and Spike--
Buffy.
What is this place?
Look. There's more of them.
Looks like we found our hornet's nest.
Let's go get the cavalry.
Now remember, we're looking for killing blows only, people, so chest and throat if there's vampires, stomach, chest and face if it's a Bringer.
What if it's something else?
Could happen, something otherworldly, and here's a handy rule: Don't waste your time with flashy tentacles just 'cause they're waving about trying to get attention. Go for the center -- brain, heart, eyes. Everything's got eyes.
Except the Bringers.
I don't want there to be tentacles. I'm not good with squishy.
I don't care if it's Godzilla, I wanna get in this thing.
Godzilla's mostly Tokyo based, so he's probably a no-show.
Besides, Matthew Broderick can kill Godzilla, how tough is he?
Xander...
Matthew Broderick never killed Godzilla. He killed a big dumb lizard that was NOT the real Godzilla.
Right right, the big slow guy in the suit was cooler.
I can't hear this...
She's young, bro'. She doesn't understand.
You people are even crazier than her.
Than who?
Buffy, man. Taking us right into the bad-guy's lair.
Well that's generally speaking where you find the bad-guy. And I don't think you came here to fight plaque.
I came here for protection.
Well you signed on to fight with --
I know, but this plan is trouble. Buffy doesn't care how many of us she --
Let me tell you something about Buffy. In fact, everybody should listen to this.
Uh, we kinda were.
I've been through more battles with Buffy than you all can imagine. She's stopped everything that's ever come against her.
She's laid down her life -- literally --- to protect the people around her. This girl had died, two times, and she's still standing. You're scared, that's smart. You got questions, you should. But you doubt her motives, you think Buffy is about the kill... then you take the little bus to battle. I've seen her heart -- this time not literally - and I'll tell you right now she cares more about your lives than you will ever know. You gotta trust her. She's earned it.
Damn! I had no idea you were that cool.
Well, you were always a little slow.
I get that now.
All right, people. Let's saddle up.
Set up a perimeter, guard the door -- I don't want anything getting in behind us.
My group'll go in first, check the place out.
You guys are our safety net. This thing's a trap, we give the signal and you come in guns blazing after us.
What's the signal?
I'm thinking lots and lots of yelling.
Got it.
Shall we?
What is this place?
'S like an old vineyard or something.
An evil vineyard, huh?
Like Falcon Crest...
Stay alert. Bringers are here somewhere. We just need to find where they went...
Shouldn't be too hard...
Cover each other's backs... let them come to us...
Well now...
You girls are just burning with righteousness, aren't you? Problem is, you think they're blazing like suns, when really you're matchsticks in the face of the darkness.
You having fun? Hope my boys haven't worn you out too much. Need you fit for when I... purify you.
Save the sermon, padre. Heard you had something of mine.
Well I do now.
You like my little message, did you? You know, I ruined a perfectly good knife on that girl. Got her soiled blood all over the place. I may need to get a new truck.
So you're the Slayer.
The Slayer. The strongest and fastest and most aflame with that most precious invention of all mankind: the notion of goodness. The Slayer must indeed be powerful.
So, what else you got?
Well c'mon boys, what are you waiting for? Let's show these ladies a proper time.
Kennedy!
Miss, I do believe you have your own problems you should be worried about.
Oh good. There's more of you.
Something tells me that's our guy.
Two steps ahead of you.
Buffy --
You're the other one, aren't you? The Cain to her Abel.
No offense meant to Cain, of course.
Never was much for the good book.
Oh, it has its moments. Paul has some good bits to say, for instance.
But overall it's a tad... complicated. I like to keep things simple.
Good folk, bad folk...
Clean folk, dirty folk...
NOOOO!
Yes.
Xander --
Buffy --
Get them outta here. We have to retreat.
Do it.
I wish there were an easier way to do this. To cleanse you. I do. But I don't make the rules.
Okay, that's a bit of a lie. I do make the rules.
What can I say? I work in mysterious ways.
Also fairly straight-forward ways.
That's it... show me your fire.
Faith -- we gotta go!
We're leaving.
You okay?
Let's go -- c'mon.
You're the one who sees everything, right?
Let's see what we can't do about that.
Now it's a simple story. Stop me if you've heard it.
I have found and truly believe there's nothing so bad it can't be made better with a story. And this one's got a happy ending.
There once was a woman. And she was foul, like all women. For Adam's rib was dirty, just like Adam himself, for what was he but human? But this woman, she was filled. With darkness, despair, and why? Because she did not know. She could not see.
She didn't know the good news. The Glory that was coming. That'd be you.
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are yours. Now and forever You show up - they'll get in line.
Because they followed her. And all they gotta do is take one more step ...and I'll kill 'em all. See?
Told you it had a happy ending.