Xander: What?

Cut to the hall. Giles catches up with Buffy.

Giles: It's getting worse!

Buffy: What's getting worse?

He guides her over to the wall and speaks with her in a low voice.

Giles: The influx of the undead, the... supernatural occurrences, it's been building for years. There's a reason why you're here and a reason why it's now!

Buffy: Because now is the time my mom moved here.

She tries to evade him, but he puts his arm out to stop her.

Giles: Something's coming, something, something... something is, is gonna happen here. Soon!

Buffy: Gee, can you vague that up for me?

Giles: The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval, very soon. Days. Possibly less.

Buffy: Oh, come on! This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be

here?

Cut to outside the school. The camera descends behind some bushes and sinks through the ground into the lair of the Master. There are candles everywhere. Vampires bearing torches are gathering. The camera moves around the lair as Luke chants and eventually comes to rest on him.

Luke: The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake, and the world will bleed. Amen!

~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy's room. She's considering what to wear to the Bronze. She holds a shiny black outfit up to the mirror.

Buffy: Hi! I'm an enormous slut! (holds up a blue floral dress) Hello! Would you like a copy of 'The Watchtower'? (lowers the dress) I used to be so good at this.

Her mother comes into the room.

Joyce: Hi, hon.

Buffy returns her dresses to the closet.

Buffy: Hey!

Joyce: Are you, uh, going out tonight?

Buffy: Yeah, I'm going to a club.

Joyce: Oh. Will there be boys there?

Buffy: No, Mom. It's a nun club.

Joyce: Well, just be careful.

Buffy: I will.

Joyce: You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing... I'm gonna get the Gallery on its feet... Oh, uh, we may have found a space today.

Buffy: That's great.

Joyce: Oh, and that school is a, a very nurturing environment, which is just what you need.

Buffy: Well, actually...

Joyce: Oh, not too nurturing. I know, you're sixteen, I've read all about the dangers of over-nurturing.

Buffy goes to her bed and lays out a couple of outfits.

Joyce: It's hard. New town and everything... It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work. (takes her daughter's hands in hers) I'm *going* to make it work.

Buffy: I know.

Joyce: Oh, you're a good girl, Buffy, (pats her on the head) you just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that is all behind us now.

Buffy: It is. From now on I am only going to hang out with the living. (they let go of their hands, and she picks up her dresses) I mean, lively. People.

Buffy heads back to her closet with an awkward look on her face.

Joyce: Hmm. Okay. You have fun.

Cut outside later that evening. Buffy is walking down a dark street, when someone appears behind her. She senses that she is being followed. After walking for a ways, when she gets a chance she ducks down an alley and looks around for a place to hide. A cat yowls and kicks some cans as it runs away. She spies something above her. Angel comes into the alley but doesn't see her. As he slowly walks along, the camera pulls up to reveal Buffy in a handstand on a bar high above the pavement. When Angel has passed underneath her, she swings down and kicks him in the back. He is knocked to the ground, and Buffy positions herself above him with a foot on his chest.

Angel: Ah, heh. Is there a problem, ma'am?

Buffy: Yeah, there's a problem. Why are you following me?

Angel: I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite.

She backs off and lets him get up, but keeps her fighting stance.

Angel: Truth is, I thought you'd be taller, or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though. (massages his neck)

Buffy: What do you want?

Angel: The same thing you do.

Buffy: (lets down her guard) Okay. What do I want?

Angel: (steps toward her) To kill them. To kill them all.

Buffy: Sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I *want* is to be left alone!

She starts a determined walk away.

Angel: Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open.

She stops, turns to him and looks at him with a wide-eyed gaze. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small box.

Angel: Don't turn your back on this. (tosses her the box) You've gotta be ready.

Buffy: What for?

Angel: For the Harvest.

Buffy: Who are you?

Angel: Let's just say... I'm a friend. (starts to leave)

Buffy: Yeah, well, maybe I don't want a friend.

Angel: (turns back) I didn't say I was yours.

He leaves. Buffy stares after him for a moment, then opens the box. It contains a silver cross and chain. She takes it out, holds it in her hand and takes another glance in his direction.

Cut to outside the Bronze. People are arriving and meeting. Buffy is wearing the cross around her neck. She walks up to the entrance, gives the doorman some cash and goes in. Sprung Monkey is playing "Believe" loudly, and the dance floor is crowded with people.

Lyrics: Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe / Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe

Buffy moves to the music a bit. She sees a guy waving in her direction and waves back, then notices someone behind her waving back and pulls her hand down, embarrassed.

Lyrics: Everybody wants to find the circle / The line of truth that has no end / Because so many nights I've slept with the feeling of empty / And I say, right now I'm ready to believe

She finds the bar and sees Willow sitting there.

Buffy: Hey!

Willow: Oh, hi!

Buffy walks around her and sits on the stool next to her. Willow turns to face her.

Willow: Hi!

Buffy: Oh, you're here with someone?

Willow: No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up.

Buffy: Oh, are you guys going out?

Willow: No, we're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up.

Buffy: How come?

Willow: He stole my Barbie. (Buffy looks confused) Oh, we were five.

Buffy: Oh.

Willow: I-I-I don't actually date a whole lot... lately.

Buffy: Why not?

Willow: Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or, or witty, or at all. I-I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away.

Buffy: It's not *that* bad!

Willow: No, i-it is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk.

Buffy: You really *haven't* been dating lately.

Willow: It's probably easy for you.

Buffy: Yeah, real easy.

Willow: I-I mean you don't seem too shy.

Buffy: Well, my philosophy, do you wanna hear my philosophy?

Willow: Yeah, I do!

Buffy: Life is short.

Willow: Life is short!

Buffy: Not original, I'll grant you, but it's true. You know? Why waste time being all shy and worrying about some guy, and if he's gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead.

Willow: Oh, that's nice!

Buffy looks up and sees Giles on the upper level.

Buffy: Um, I'll be back in a minute. (gets up to go)

Willow: Oh, tha-that's okay, you don't have to come back.

Buffy: (smiles) I'll be back in a minute.

Willow: (to herself) Seize the moment.

Cut to Buffy, making her way to the stairs. The camera follows her up.

Lyrics: I feel love with my friends / I feel love in my songs / If I could just hold love / Then all the answers might come / I said, oh, if we're all children of God / And we just turned away / I got a lack of belief / I said a world without faith / It's time we turn back around

Buffy: (finds Giles) So, you like to party with the students. Isn't that kinda skanky?

Giles: Oh, right, this is me having fun. Watching... clown hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I'd much rather be at home with a cup of Bovril and a good book.

Buffy: You need a personality, stat!

Giles: (points to the crowd below) This is a perfect breeding ground for vampire activity. It's dark, it's crowded... Besides, I knew you were likely to show up, and I have to make you understand--

Buffy: That the Harvest is coming. I know, your friend told me.

Giles: What did you say?

Buffy: The Harvest. That mean something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank.

Giles: I'm not sure. Uh... W-who told you this?

Buffy: This... guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you two were buds.

Giles: No. The Harvest. Did he say anything else?

Buffy: Something about the Mouth of Hell. I *really* didn't like him!

The band has finished its song and there's lots of applause. They soon start their next song, "Swirl". Giles moves around Buffy, leans on the railing and looks down at the crowd.

Giles: Look at them, throwing themselves about, completely unaware of the danger that surrounds them.

Buffy: Lucky them.

Giles: Or perhaps you're right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming; the signs could be wrong. It's not as though you've been having the nightmares.

Buffy is silent. Cut to below.

Cordelia: My mom doesn't even *get* out of bed anymore. And the doctor says it's Epstein-Barr. I'm like, pleeease! It's chronic hepatitis, or at least chronic fatigue syndrome. I mean, *nobody* cool has Epstein-Barr anymore.

Jesse spots Cordelia and comes over.

Jesse: Hey, Cordelia!

Cordelia: Oh, yay, it's my stalker. (makes a face)

Jesse: Hey, you, uh, you look great!

Cordelia: Well, I'm glad we had this little chat.

Jesse: (coughs) Listen, uh, you know, you wanna dance, you know?

Cordelia: With you?

Jesse: Well, uh, yeah.

Cordelia: Well, uh, no! C'mon, guys.

She and her friends leave. Jesse is left in the dust.

Jesse: Fine! Plenty of other fish in the sea. Oh, yeah, I'm... on the prowl. Witness me prowling!

Cut to Buffy and Giles on the upper level.

Buffy: I didn't say I'd never slay another vampire. It's not like I have all these fluffy-bunny feelings for them, I'm just not gonna get way extracurricular with it. You know, if I see one, sure I'll--

Giles: (interrupting) Will you be ready? There's so much you don't know about them, about your own powers. A vampire appears to be completely normal until the feed is upon them, only then do they reveal their true demonic visage.

Buffy: You're like a textbook with arms, I know this.

Giles: The point is, a Slayer should be able to see them anyway. Without looking, without thinking. Can you tell me if there's a vampire in this building?

Buffy: Maybe...

Giles: You should know. Even through this mass and this... din, you should be able to sense them. Well, try! Reach out with your mind. (Buffy looks around) You have to hone your senses, focus until the energy washes over you, until you, you feel every particle of-of--

Buffy: There's one.

Giles: W-where?

Buffy: Right there, talking to that girl.

Giles: You don't know--

Buffy: Oh, please! Look at his jacket. He's got the sleeves rolled up, and the shirt! Deal with that outfit for a moment.

Giles: It's dated?

Buffy: It's carbon dated. Trust me, only someone living underground for ten years would think that was still the look.

Giles: But you didn't... hone.

Buffy: (notices that the girl is Willow) Oh, no.

Giles: Isn't that--

Buffy: Willow.

Giles: What's she doing?

Buffy: Seizing the moment!

She starts down to rescue Willow.

Lyrics: We're formed in liquid / Pushed out still dripping / A world was thrown before my eyes

Cut to below. Willow is being led out of the Bronze by the vampire. Cut to Giles. He's at a loss for what to do.

Lyrics: Now paint a picture / Crayon stick figures / With blue-haired people, purple skies

Cut to below. Buffy has lost them. She tries the back. She breaks a leg off of a chair from a stack and begins to stalk. After a while Cordelia comes out of the restroom and surprises her. Buffy reacts, grabbing Cordelia by the throat and pushing her up against a wall.

Buffy: (recognizing) Cordelia! (she lets go)

Cordelia: God! What is your childhood trauma?!

Her entourage appears in the restroom door behind her.

Buffy: Have you guys seen Willow? Did she come by here?

Cordelia: Why? Do you need to attack her with the stick? Jeez!

Buffy turns and goes.

Cordelia: (to her groupies) Excuse me, I have to call *everyone* I have *ever* met, right now.

Cut to the main floor. Giles catches up with Buffy.

Giles: That *was* quick. Well done! I-I need to go to the library. This Harvest thing...

Buffy: I didn't find them!

He grabs Buffy by the arm and turns her to face him.

Giles: The vampire is not dead?

Buffy: No, but my social life is on the critical list.

Giles: (lets go of her) So, what do we do?

Buffy: I'll take care of it!

Giles: I-I-I need to come with you, yes?

Buffy: Don't worry. One vampire I can handle.

She leaves, walking past Jesse talking to Darla.

Jesse: So, um, what did you say your name was?

Darla: Darla.

Jesse: Darla. You know, I haven't seen you around before. Are you from around here?

Darla: No, but I have family here.

Jesse: Have I met them?

Darla: You probably will.

Cut to the Master's lair. The Master rises out of the pool of blood as Luke kneels and looks on. He steps out of the pool over to Luke and offers his hand. Luke takes it.

Luke: Master!

~~~~~~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~~~~~~