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The waiting room for the hospital emergency room

Doctor: Yes, we tried the paddles, but we couldn't get a sinus rhythm. We considered opening her up but she was gone too fast.

Giles: How long?

Doctor: Just now.

Oz comes through the emergency entrance door with Xander. Xander starts towards Buffy and Giles, but Oz takes one look at their body language and the doctor's posture, and he stops Xander and grabs him by the arm and pulls him through the emergency room doors and into the emergency room hallway.

Cut to Oz pulling Xander into the inner room of the emergency area.

Oz (to himself): Plural, plural. (To Xander) Xander, trust me on this. (to a nurse): Joyce Summers?

She points and Oz pulls him forward toward the doors. Oz goes through and encounters a nurse cleaning up. Joyce is lying there with the sheet up to her neck.

Xander: Oh, no!

Oz: Xander, remember how you gave Buffy CPR and saved her? Do the same for Joyce. Don't ask questions, just do it and quickly.

Xander might normally have hesitated, but instead he immediately goes over, pinches Joyce's nose, and blows into her mouth expanding her lungs. He tries to push down onto her chest but can't get the leverage. The doctor comes through the door and hesitates at what he sees. However, he respects how purposefulness of their endeavors, and he allows them their efforts. Oz, seeing that Xander can't manage the heart massage from his awkward position, climbs onto Joyce's bed and, using the heel of his hand, he pushes down into her sternum five times, and then he nods to Xander who again breathes into her mouth. Oz does his heart massage thing again and then Xander puffs up his cheeks and blows.

Giles and the others slowly come into the room. Spike is last.

Giles (aghast): Oz, Xander. Stop at once. This is bizarre.

Oz (while pushing down on her sternum): I know, Giles. Sorry, Buffy, but we have to try. Something I read. (He stops and Xander blows into Joyce's mouth again.)

Buffy is leaning on Giles, crying uncontrollably.

Buffy (through tears): That's enough, guys.

Buffy lets go of Giles and comes over to the bed and takes her mother's hand.

Almost at the touch of Buffy's hand, Joyce's eyes flutter open. She looks up at the activity around her, smiles for a second until she chokes and then coughs, clearing her throat, and then she begins breathing easily again. Xander stops but is still pinching her nose. Oz stops. Joyce looks up at Xander and he releases her nose with an "Oops, sorry." Buffy is stunned for a second along with the rest of the visitors, but then she moves forward to hug her mother. The doctor rushes forward with his stethoscope.

Doctor (listening): This is incredible.

Spike (smiling): Good. Well, keep in touch, people. I guess I won't be needing my note? (He holds it up. Joyce smiles) Too bad: it's been years since I've had "an excuse."

Buffy scrutinizes Joyce for a long second to make certain she's really okay, and then she pulls away from her and stops Spike on his way out the door.

Buffy: Spike, thank you for your part in saving my mom's life. I'm flabbergasted

Spike: I'm glad I could help. I, too, like the world far better with Joyce in it. Besides, as you say, we blonds have to stick together. Bring your mum over the restaurant when she's feeling better. (remembering, to Oz) Oz, Willow? (Oz shakes his head sadly) Sorry, no one I know has seen her. I'll continue to keep an eye out for her, though. Hey (he announces) the special in my restaurant tonight is Surf and Turf if anyone's hungry later on.

He leaves.

The Bomb Moving Theme plays. Cut to scene of a man leading two oxen that are pulling a wagon piled high in the back with straw. The caption, "Rural Khirzistan, 1999."

The man waves to two military guards changing a tire on a Jeep-like vehicle alongside the road.

Cut to a table in Spike's Restaurant.

Mr. Trick and two bulky bodyguards (one of the bodyguards is also black) are seated.

Cut to the swinging doors to the kitchen.

Spike comes storming through and approaches a waitress, pulling her aside.

Spike (trying hard to control himself): Wanda, will you please quit underreporting your tips. Report at lst 8%. You're driving my accountant crazy, and he's driving me crazy.

Spike catches sight of Trick.

Spike: Okay?

She nods. Spike nods back, satisfied. He then approaches the Trick table and, at the same time, he catches the eye of Shakespeare, who is dressed as a busboy, clearing tables. Spike pretends to knock on the side of his head and he then indicates with his eyes the vampires seated at the table. Shakespeare nods and puts his hands in front of himself as though cradling something, then he turns away and motions to three other busboys. They all turn in Spike's direction.

Spike (approaching Trick's table): Good evening, gentlemen, I was told you wanted to see me. Is everything okay?

Mr. Trick (indicating a chair): My man, Spike! Sit down, please. My name is Trick. This little visit is long overdue. When you left, I took over the vampire franchise in this town, and I don't need you back here. Too many vp's spoil the broth.

Spike: Now, don't you go worrying your pretty little head about little ole me. I don't eat much--maybe one whole person a week. And, besides, right now I've taken on the heavy task of running this hotel and restaurant, and I no longer really have the time for turf battles. I'll just stay out of your way, Mr. Trick? Or, go ahead, feel free to tell me what you would like me to do so we can co-exist.

Mr. Trick: Leave town.

Spike: How about another alternative? How about if I pay you tribute? I now have a rather sizeable investment here.

Mr. Trick: It will be worthless if it's burned down.

Spike: No, it won't, actually--I'm insured up the ying-yang. But, see, that's the problem with you New World vampires. Back in Europe we have been around long enough to establish ourselves, and we have actually created wealth and manage to hang onto it. For instance, I have a vamp friend in France who is a banker. But here, in the Colonies, we indulge in these petty, in-house wars and we drain each other's strength. Why can't you just let me have this little corner of Sunnydale and ignore me. I be no trouble at all, promise.

Mr. Trick: Can't oblige. And if we're promising things, I promise to drive you out of town.

Spike: Well, you know, I can't just turn the other cheek, unless you want to see my little bare arse.

Mr. Trick: No, thanks. I wouldn't want to see ANYTHING that white.

Spike: So, then, is this some kind of reverse-racial thing?

Mr. Trick: No, this is a vampire thing, but it WILL be a pleasure ridding this world of anything as white as you.

Spike: Well, I'd try to tan to make you happy, but, alas, I usually freckle. But, my dear Mr. Trick, won't you reconsider?

Mr. Trick: You have till Friday.

Spike (smirking): Which means, Trick, you'll attack Wednesday but NOW that I've indicated I know a little about you, you'll most likely show up Monday or Tuesday. So, but have YOU done YOUR homework? Do you know anything about me? I'm not as dumb as I look, you know.

Mr. Trick: I know you're trouble, my man, which is why you must go.

Spike (charmingly): You know, I got the name Spike because I enjoy using railroad spikes on my enemies. Some people think there's something phallic about my fondness for spikes. Okay, (he smiles) guilty as charged. (He laughs.) But, if you're still going to go through with your attack, please instruct one of your cohorts to stake you rather than let you fall into my hands. Since I've so magnanimously tried to avoid this idiotically stupid battle, yet you insist, I'll have to envision a particularly painful session for you with my spikes. I think maybe in the eye sockets. So, excuse me (He stands up), I have some planning to do. Please leave now. And, oh yeah, please remove the batteries, place them on the table, and take your dirty little bomb with you. You will not be permitted to leave (indicating a few busboys who vamp their brows momentarily for emphasis) unless you leave with it with it.

Trick and his companion look at each other, then they look up at the other vampires standing around, then they look back at each other. Trick does a shrugging grin and the white bodyguard reaches under the seat and pulls out a paper bag. He reaches into the bag and extracts a typical bomb-looking contraption complete with clock, wires, and batteries. He disconnects the batteries and slaps them on the table, then he places the rest of the bomb back into the paper bag, crumples the top, and starts to rise. Trick joins him and they exit past the vampire busboys and past the other tables of people enjoying their meals, not noticing this strange processional.

Spike (to their backs): If you can behave yourselves, come back tonight with your girlfriends. We're having dancing in the main lounge.

Cut to the three on their way out.

Bodyguard: Do we come back tomorrow?

Trick: Naw. I don't trust that cocky Cockney. [Ed: Or "corky Corkney" in filtered Boardspeak] I think we need a day or two to beef up our ranks.

The Bomb Moving Theme plays. Cut to a scene of a plane taking off from a flat field and rising into the air. The caption, "Rural Khirzistan, 1999."

As the "Killer Coming Theme" plays, Mr. Fox passes the Welcome to Sunnydale sign.

Cut to Giles's Library.

Standing outside is Shakespeare, vamp-browed and in a grey uniform. He unbrows and enters.

Shakespeare: Telegram for Mr. Giles.

Giles is seated at a table, engrossed in a text. He looks up quizzically. He rises, moves forward, and signs the clipboard. Shakespeare hands him the telegram then continues standing there looking at him. Giles looks down at the message, thinking, then realizes the delivery person is still there and he pulls out his wallet and hands him a few bills.

Shakespeare (looking disappointingly at the tip): Thank you, sir.

Shakespeare leaves and Giles breaks open the telegram.

The telegram, read in Spike's voice: Hello, Mr. Giles. This One-Horse town is about to witness a vampire turf war like it has never seen before. Mr. Trick is about to storm my humble hotel to try to drive me out of town. I hereby invite you and The Slayer to enter this fracas, ostensibly on my side, but let's not turn our backs on each other. Also, I've heard you have some charges in your care who need some battlefield experience and I thought I'd invite you all to participate. In fact, I'm throwing it Open to everyone with a sharp stick. I'm, in essence, inviting you to a One Horse Open Slay. Probably tonight or tomorrow night, but maybe not till Wednesday when the moon will be full. I'll phone you when they show up. My cellphone number in case you need me is ### ### ####. Get ready to rumble. R.S.V.P. Say hi to Joyce.

The Bomb Moving Theme plays. The plane lands in a field in Mexico as peasants in sombreros look on. The caption, "Sierra del Gatto, Mexico, 1999."

Cut to successive scenes outside Gold's Gym, Powerhouse Gym, and Vic Tanny's.

Mr. Trick's black bodyguard direct a few other vampires as they attack large, muscled body-builders. They often have a real fight on their hands as they try to recruit an army, a massive army.

The Bomb Moving Theme plays. A truck, one of a whole line of trucks, pulls up to an Inspection Station. The caption, "US / Mexican Border, Tijuana, 1999."

An inspector, carrying a clipboard, rises from his stool and gets out of his booth and walks quickly back the line past the five trucks waiting in his lane. He places checks on the sheet of paper on his clipboard and quickly returns to the front of the line. Then, raising the gate, he waves them through. The trucks start up and drive through, each driver waving to the Inspector. On the back of the last truck is a sticker that reads, "NAFTA, GOOD NEIGHBORS MAKE GOOD PARTNERS."

Cut to the courtyard between rows of three-story motel building with rooms.

Three shadowy figures enter and hide behind an ice machine.

Cut to Spike watching them on a closed-circuit TV.

He pulls out his cell phone and punches a number.

Cut to Gile's Library.

Preparations are being made for a battle. Everyone's there but Oz and Angel. The three little slayers look really spiffy in their new do's.

Giles (to the little slayers): Now, remember, girls, do everything Buffy does. If Buffy does it, you do it too.

Buffy (examining a bag of stakes and squirt guns [filled with holy water] and looking around, generally, frazzled): What are we forgetting?

Xander: To eat potato salad in the wintertime?

Buffy shoots him an angry look, then she immediately reconsiders and goes over and gives him a big hug. He is puzzled, but takes advantage of the opportunity to hug her back warmly.

Xander: Let me know the moment you have any trouble breathing.

Seeing their embrace, the eyes of the Oriental junior slayer immediately light up, and she gets in line behind Buffy to hug Xander, and motions for the others to join her.

Oriental slayer (whispering): Everything Buffy does.

The other two girls can't help but smile and get in line.

Xander notices the line and his smile is absolutely radiant. Cordelia hesitates, shrugs, and also gets in line. Everyone gets a hug. It's a nice moment.

Giles (while Xander and Cordelia linger over their hug and go into a kiss): Okay, are you two finished?

The junior slayers turn and see Xander and Cordelia kissing and an uncontrollable smile finally breaks through their reserve. The African girl runs over and then, giggling, gets back in line, and then the other two, pushing and shoving each other playfully, also get back in line smiling.

Buffy (smiling, to Giles): At last. I was afraid they'd be too tight for this. I think they'll be all right now.

Giles (nodding, smiling): Yes. The missing ingredient as always--American silliness. That and raging hormones; I keep underestimating both. (loudly) Okay, gang, I think we're ready for this. Follow Buffy's lead. And, as a ground rule for this battle, Spike and his gang are on our side. But watch them closely. And try to watch out for the other member of our group. (He goes over to the cage and looks in at Oz who has turned into a werewolf.) See you, Oz, we hope.

Cut to outside the library where they pile into cars.

The Killer Coming Theme Plays. The scene is viewed from inside another car. Male hands grip the steering wheel and start the engine. On the seat next to the man is a long case. He follows.

Cut to the courtyard between the motel buildings.

Spike and Shakespeare come outside the main building with a portable stereo and place it on the ground. Spike pushes a button and the musical score from Saturday Night Fever emanates from the speakers.

Spike: Shaky, are the others in position?

Shakespeare: Yes, Spike. All set.

Spike: Okay, good. Now, I want you to go feed the children.

Shakespeare: What? And miss this fight? But . . .

Spike: That's an order, mate. I want them fed immediately.

Shakespeare: Yes, sir.

He salutes and Spike returns it. He goes back out through the building.

Cut to the shadows and all around the perimeter of the courtyard and in alcoves.

Heavy-set, thick-necked vampires are seen lurking.

Cut back to the courtyard where Spike is now dancing to the music. Cut to Trick peering around the corner of a building, seeing Spike dancing, he shakes his head.

Trick emerges from the shadows and approaches Spike.

Spike: Trick, you like the Bee Gees?

Trick: Very most definitely. Why? Do you want to dance?

Spike: If, one, I can lead and, two, it'll avoid this fight.

Trick: Nothing can.

Spike: Okay. Hey, but I'll still dance if you want.

Trick: Not with me you won't. I see you're ready for us, though. Got your spikes sharpened?

Spike: I like them dull; they make angrier-looking wounds. I told you to leave me alone.

Trick: Can't. So let's do it. Vamp to vamp.

Spike: You and me?

Trick: No--I'm not as dumb as you look, either. No, we'll do it the old-fashioned way: minion against minion.

Cut to various scenes of vampires hiding around the buildings.

Trick has in excess of twenty-five or so in his gang.

Cut back to Spike and Trick

Spike (hanging his head): Okay, confession. It's probably lost on you, but I'm a charming prettyboy and I've acquired some allies.

Giles's and Cordelia's and another car squeals around a corner of the building and pulls into the courtyard. People begin getting out.

Spike: I love Americans. Ah, here's the cavalry now.

Trick: Okay, so now we've only got you outnumbered three to one.

Trick circles his hand in the air and turns and walks back. A wave of muscular vampires begins running toward them. Spike walks over and stomps on what looks to be a box on the ground. Several charges go off throwing nets up into the air which land on the advancing vampires and ensnaring them. Trick does nothing to help them; he just continues to walk away. Eight shirtless vampire suddenly emerge from inside the building behind Spike and, with stakes at the ready, run toward the netted vampires. Chris Beck is one of them.

Spike (to the Scooby Gang): I've decided "shirts and skins." We'll be skins. (Bowing) Except for you ladies, of course.

Giles, Buffy and the gang run to help stake the netted eight vampires. Suddenly, more of Trick's vampires run toward them and they're engaged in hand to hand combat. Cordelia hangs back; she protectively aims a squirt gun and she carries two sacks of supplies slung on her shoulders. Buffy attacks the largest of the body builders by jumping up and kicking him backward in the chest. The junior slayers try to do likewise; two succeed, the blonde almost misses and falls in front of a long-haired strongman. The vampire descends upon her and Xander comes up from behind and grabs him by the hair and drags him back and away. As the vampire turns on Xander, the blonde junior slayer recovers and stakes him. Giles actually judo flips a vampire that charges him.

Cut to Angel arriving in the vicinity of the motel on foot.

Angel is hurrying but he stops automatically when he sees a tall blonde man with a case skulking around the perimeter of the hotel, then climbing to the third floor. He follows the man.

On the third floor, the man positions himself so he has a good view of the courtyard battle. He opens the case and assembles a high-powered rifle with a scope. There is a railing and he positions himself so that he can rest the rifle on the railing. He opens his jacket exposing a pistol in a shoulder holster.

Cut to a scene looking through the scope.

He looks through the scope and trains the crosshairs on Buffy who is engrossed in fighting some large opponents and she immediately jumps out of his view.

Cut back to the battle in the courtyard.

Buffy executes two roundhouse kicks in rapid succession to two separate vampires. They go flying. She rushes forward to stake the closer one. She drives the stake home and he immediately pulverizes.

Cut to Spike who is dragging the net, that he had previously cast, over several vampires preventing them from struggling and breaking free.

He is tugging on the net, and he looks around in his immediate vicinity to monitor any close threats, then he looks around in a wider arc to assess the bigger picture. He happens to look upward and he noticess movement. It is Angel arriving on the third floor of a motel building. Curiously, he sees that Angel seems to be searching for something. Spike scans the floor from his vantage point, and he sees the man crouching with the gun. Spike immediately takes stock of the personnel involved in the battle, and he sees Buffy fighting.

Cut to where Buffy is grabbed from behind by an immense vamp with a leather vest.

Immediately she throws her arms up and sinks, slipping through his grasp and she scrambles through the large guys legs, ending up behind him. The vampire turns before she can stake him and with the palm of his hand he punches her in the chest and she goes flying backward and falls heavily, shaken for a second.

Cut to Buffy in the crosshairs.

Cut to the finger on the trigger.

Cut to Angel who rises up and runs.

Angel screams "NO-o-o-o" at the man and runs toward him. The man sees Angel coming but decides to complete his mission. He squeezes off a round, then he reaches for his pistol.

Cut back to the courtyard.

Spike approaches Buffy and then he is startled by a noise and he looks upward to see it's Angel screaming. It takes a split second to register. Then, as the large vampire with the vest attacks Buffy from the side, Spike pushes the large man past Buffy and arrives in front of Buffy just as a shot rings out from above. Spike is hit in the back, causing him to jerk sideways, fall to the ground, and roll over at Buffy's feet.

From the third floor in the distance comes another shot, then a scream, and the gunman is tossed over the railing and hits the ground with a disgusting crunch. Angel looks down and Buffy looks back. Spike is momentarily stunned. Buffy struggles to her feet. The large vampire with the vest gets up with a stake in his hand and rushes over toward Spike. Before Buffy can react the vampire plunges the stake into Spike's chest. Buffy gasps. She rushes forward and stakes the large vampire in the back, and he explodes in a cloud of dust, and she looks down at Spike. He is wounded through the back but he is otherwise okay.

Spike: Kevlar, just over the heart. Don't leave home without it. Not as dumb as I look.

Buffy: Evidently not. Thanks, again, Spike.

Spike: As you say, us blonds have to stick together.

Buffy (hesitatingly): Ah, Spike, I have a confession: I'm not really a blonde.

Spike (incredulously): Huh?

Buffy: I color it.

Spike: Seriously?

Buffy: Yep.

Spike: You know, this really is a very strange world.

Some of the vampires who were netted break free. Meanwhile another wave of six vampires rises up from their hiding places alongside of the buildings and advances. Six of Spike's men are still fighting.

Spike: We're vastly outnumbered. We need to get inside. I'm bloody well convinced I can't get up; I'm afraid I need your help, Slayer.

Buffy gets underneath his arm and lifts him up. Xander approaches.

Xander: Did I just see what I thought? Did he just take a bullet for you?

Buffy: Yes, strange as it sounds, bless him, and we need to get him inside. We ALL need to go inside. I'll get the others.

Xander moves forward and throws Spike over his shoulder. He hurries away. Buffy fights her way toward Giles who has an enormous iron cross which he uses to fend off a vampire he is fighting. Giles wallops the guy almost like he's hitting a baseball, and the vamp recoils about a foot, but advances again. Giles hits him again and again stops him momentarily. Giles looks at the cross and then he fumbles in his pocket.

Giles (extracting a squirt gun): Oh, well, when in Rome . . .

Giles squirts the guy in the eyes and while the vampire scratches at his smoking eyes, Giles stakes him and causes him to fly apart. Then Giles blows imaginary smoke away from the barrel of his gun.

Buffy approaches.

Buffy: Giles, there are just too many. We need to get into the building.

Giles: I'll alert the other.

The three junior slayers have learned to work in tandem, bouncing assailants between them before staking them. They have a kind of assembly line going and they stake one just seconds before Giles approaches.

Giles (pointing): Good work, girls. Buffy's inside the entrance, there. We're going to defend from inside the building. Fall back to that position.

Around them Spike's shirtless vampires are fighting and they also begin to withdrawl. Unfortunately Chris Beck is spun around by one of Trick's Gang and staked by another. His eyes cross and his tongue sticks out before he explodes in a cloud of dust.

The Scooby Gang and Spike's shirtless vampires are all either inside the building or just at the entrance. Xander, with Cordelia behind him, lets two more shirtless vampires inside and, seeing no others, he closes the door. However fighting immediately erupts behind him, as two of Trick's men had taken their shirts off to sneak in. There is active fighting now inside the corridor where Buffy and Angel were gassed. One vampire attacks Xander and the other opens the door again to let others in. Cordelia squirts the one on Xander's back.

Angel, minus his shirt, is suddenly through the door and into the fray. The long narrow hall is like a gauntlet, now, full of fighting.

More vampires come in behind him.

Cut to the ballroom where Spike is lying on the far side well away from the door. There are a few of Trick's men inside the ballroom and they are swinging chairs and overturning tables. The junior slayers are inside and have their hands full dodging hurled items. Buffy gets through the ballroom door and is just inside.

Buffy (to the girls): Stay in this room. (then to her horror) Where is Giles? (The girls shrug as a unit.)

Spike twists from side to side and manages to get to his feet. Buffy is just inside the double door, only one side of which is open, and she sees Spike and runs over to him.

Buffy: If we close the door, can you gas them?

Spike: Afraid not. Don't let them in here, though.

Buffy: Right.

She runs back to the door just as Xander backs through it.

Buffy (to Xander): Where is Giles? (he shrugs)

She looks out into the corridor and notices, amidst the vampire versus vampire fighting, a vamp-browed Angel is on the floor and is being double-teamed by two burly opponents. She rushes out and throws herself against one who falls into the other knocking them both off Angel. She helps Angel to his feet and shoves him ahead of her toward the door to the Ballroom. Then she notices he has been shot.

Buffy: We need to get inside.

She looks around for Giles. A vamp-browed Mr. Trick is just coming through the door from the outside, bringing up the rear. He comes in behind another eight fresh vampires, and he overhears her words. The hallway, now, is filled with around fifteen of Trick's men and six of Spike's and, of course, Buffy and Angel.

Trick (to his men, pointing at the door to the Ballroom): Don't let them close that door. We need to finish them off.

Buffy and Angel push and shove their way to the far door. Together they fight one Sumo-sized vampire and rather than stake him, together they shove him into other fighters. Xander is waiting at the door when they get there and he allows them to squeeze through. He tries to close the door quickly behind them but the Sumo vamp is back on his feet and he wedges one leg up to his enormous thigh in the door. Xander tries to push with all his might but there is a sudden rush from the other side and the door bursts open. Tricks men now pour into the room.

From the other side of the room Spike sees this development and he crawls backwards towards the far wall. Buffy, realizing Spike is badly injured and vulnerable, moves toward him and takes up a defensive posture, as other vamps run toward him to finish him off.

Trick (from the other end of the room just inside the door, pointing): There's my man, Spike, looking even whiter than usual. A special reward to the man who brings me his head.

A lot of the vampires hear Trick and turn in Spike's direction. Spike hobbles back, his brow vamping perhaps unconsciously, and Angel runs over also to defend him.

Buffy looks around in panic. There is no other visible exit. There are doors at the other end of the large ballroom, but they have already been tried by others and were found to be sealed. She looks again at Spike. Spike is pulling a necklace out from under his shirt; he locates a little case hanging on it, and opens a cover over the case. He pushes a button. The door behind Trick suddenly slams shut and large steel bars from the walls on either side suddenly screw forward toward the center. Trick has turned to watch the exit being sealed.

Spike, who is now leaning on an ice machine for support, pushes another button. Above them several flashes go off and flares burn brightly at various spots on the ceiling, setting off the fire suppression sprinklers. Water rains down upon them. A wet Spike opens the top of the ice machine, which, it turns out, contains no ice, and he begins to climb inside.

Buffy turns and notices what he has done and looks at him, puzzled.

Spike (indicating Angel): You want him, get him in here. I'll wait a few seconds.

Buffy runs towards Angel. Angel and Xander are fighting as a team against Trick's men in the sprinkler-system rain. She grabs Angel and he seems exhausted and too-slowly spins to punch her, and then when he sees it's her he stops. She hugs him quickly, then pulls him toward the ice machine.

Angel: What???

Buffy: You're hurt. You must follow Spike.

At the ice machine, Spike has disappeared. She opens it and forces a very tired Angel inside. The bottom tilts down toward the back and Angel almost immediately rolls out of sight. Buffy close the machine and looks around just in time to avoid being hit with a chair.

Cut to Spike on the other side of the wall. He lifts a metal chute and Angel comes tumbling out onto the floor. Then he slides a bar into place on either side of the chute, effectively locking it. Retrieving the little control box on the necklace under his shirt, he pushes the last button.

Spike: Game over. I win.

Cut to the ballroom.

No one notices but the flag in the far corner, away from the action, rotates forty-five degrees from twelve to three o'clock.

Cut to a mechanism scene where a valve switches from a pipe marked "Outside Water" to a pipe marked "Internal Reservoir."

The camera follows the pipe marked "Internal Reservoir" to a tank with a cross on it.

Cut to inside the ballroom.

The fighting continues. Then, suddenly there is a sudden banshee-like wail as the vampires inside succumb to their drenching with holy-water. Mr. Trick sinks to his knees in pain and begin smoking. Cordy gets a horrified look on her face and gathers the junior slayers off to the side as some of the large, massive vampires lose control and flail about in anguish. Burns appear in streaks down the faces of the exposed vampires and some seem to want to scratch their own eyes out. They attempt to cover themselves but it is to no avail. Trick and some others climb under tables, but Xander and Buffy go around and overturn those tables and expose them again. None are spared, not even Spike's men are identifiable at this point. They all seem to melt into a gooey mess.

Buffy (drenched in the rain that continues to fall): Well, that temporarily solves most of the Sunnydale vampire problem. I'm Out of Business.

She goes over and hugs Xander. They both embrace in the rain which at that point starts to diminish. Xander looks over her shoulder at the junior slayers and he points behind Buffy's back at Buffy and motions to them to come over. Cordelia gives him a dirty look. As the rain stops, the junior slayers, laughing, get back in line.

Buffy (suddenly looking around fearfully) But, where is Giles? (Xander also stopos and looks around alarmed, releasing Buffy. He spins around helplessly, looking down at the floor and under the tables.). I hope nothing . . .

Just at that moment the doors at the far end of the hall are flung open, and Giles stands there, ready for anything, with a fire axe in his hand. He looks around and immediately the realization of the total devastation hits him, and he drops the axe and then staggers, barely able to hold himself on his feet. Buffy runs over to catch him. She hugs him desperately and he, at first, looks alarmed, but then he smiles and pats her lightly on the back. The junior Slayer hugline suddenly forms and then Cordelia joins them and finally Xander shrugs and also gets in line.

Cut to the Goebbel's motel room. There is a knock on the door. Paul Joseph gets up and limps to the window. Magda goes to the door and peers through the peephole. Goebbels parts the curtain and looks off to the side.

Goebbels (whispering): An old man.

Magda (whispering): Yes, I see. Maybe he'll go away.

Man through the door (in German-subtitled): Magda, don't be afraid.

Magda (looking again through the peephole) (in English, "Dubbed" appears at the bottom of the screen): Franz, Franz, is it you?

Man through the door: Open up quickly, Liebschen, let me see you once again.

She unlatches the door and moves aside the chain. She pulls it open and stands there looking at Franz Muller.

Franz (hanging his head): I'm sorry I am such an old man. But, you, my older sister look exactly as I last saw you. Such a pretty lady. I would think Joseph would want to give you many more children.

He raises his arms and she is confused but she rushes toward him. They embrace. Goebbels comes forward but hesitates to interrupt.

Madga (rather stiffly): Excuse me, Franz. Everything is so confusing, so new. You are SO changed--it's going to take me a while to get used to it. (she pulls away) My brother, you must think me rude, but I find that I am most comfortable when I remember to hate this country and its productive capability and what it did to our Fuhrer and, then, of course, how it stole my sweet Helga from me.

Franz: I'm not certain any of us could adjust very quickly to what you have been through. Your mind must be reeling. But if you still hate this country, I think I can help you. Through an extraordinary sequence of fortutitous events, an old man who had been morose and living in the past has just had the most wonderful, exciting adventure. In short, I have obtained your bomb if you still want it. It's on its way here even as we speak.

Goebbels (mouth hanging open, stepping forward): My word, Franz! Congratulations, certainly, for pulling off such a feat. The Fuhrer, if he were still alive, would, most certainly, award you a medal of some sort. I honestly didn't think you could do it and therefore allowed Magda her fantasy. Perhaps now, Magda, is the time to forgive and forget. No German child alive today will thank you for exploding this bomb.

Magda: I will do it for the generation of German children that has lived in shame for the last fifty years rather than in glory. I am THEIR First Mother.

Franz: Well, Magda-Paul, make up your minds. The bomb will be arriving later today in a rental truck. I have hired a man to arm it and he will be here tomorrow morning. Once it is armed, however, there is no turning back--I'm told ANY attempt to disarm it will merely set it off. But come, let us talk. I've got things for you: identity papers as well as a van for your transportation, plus I have the latest up-to-date German agent's guide on living in the United States; it explains how to "get by" here. But, let's put aside such practical matters for the moment. We must get reacquainted. And where are your children?

Cut to a Dodge Caravan traveling along the road.

A sign at the bottom of the screen says "7:00 p.m."

Cut to inside where Goebbels drives. He has a sticker explaining road signs on his dashboard. Magda is in the seat beside him; the children are in the back.

Goebbels (looking at his odometer): From the point where Franz's people made that turn to drop the truck, we're now two full kilometer away. In five hours we should be at least 200 k's away. Franz says that should be a safe margin. Magda, the bomb is positioned and armed; I hope that now you can begin turning your pretty head toward the future.

Madga (smiling warmly over at him, she pats his thigh): Five hours from now, my darling. Five short hours. At midnight when the bomb explodes, I will feel my responsibility as First Mother of the Third Reich is discharged, but not until then. Perhaps this one big bomb will somehow silence the sputtering assault of aerial bombs I hear going off in my head. And perhaps it will help the memory of my Helga to rest less heavily on my mind. Her soul should then be at peace.

From outside their van the camera pans as they drive past the large painted wooden guernsey cow that marks the previous location of Miller's Dairy.

The camera rises above their location and begins flying away. It goes up into the air, crosses some fields, flys over some houses and ends up on the outskirts of a large open area featuring runways and then it reaches a very large, tall manufacturing plant with extremely wide doors on one end. There is also a taller administrative building alongside and a parking lot full of cars. The camera dives downward toward one side of the parking lot where a truck is parked. On the side it says, "Self-Improving? Be Self- Moving."

Cut to the inside of a car traveling along the road. Terry Bennett is driving while dictating into a tape recorder.

Terry: The call-in tip led me to a motel in Los Angeles where this German family was staying. Too bad it had taken the L.A. paper so long to relay that tip to me, because I arrived too late to catch them. I DID touch base, however, with the neighbor, Mrs. Mildred Hanover--I must remember to send her a reward. She told me that this German family had some very strange visitors on the day before I arrived, at least one of which--an older man--also spoke German. Also there was a large rental truck parked in the parking lot for a while, evidently in some vague way associated with the family, and then the German family left early this evening in a dark blue Chrysler-product van. The neighbor thought they headed north and I am on the main road in that direction. They can't be more than an hour ahead of me, and, with kids in the car, I'm hoping they will have to make frequent rest stops. Perhaps at diners along the way. It's odd, I think, that they started out so late for wherever they were going.

She looks out the window and surveys the roadside establishments.

She yawns.

Cut to the Goebbels pulling into a MacDonald's, and then pulling around to the back of the building.

Magda gets out with the two of her younger girls and a boy. She puts on a coat and ties a scarf over her hair.

Magda (to Paul at the driver's window): I'll see if they will prepare something to take along. We had better not stop. We need to put distance between us and the aircraft factory.

Goebbels: Don't be long. And don't talk any more than necessary.

Cut to Magda emerging from the ladies' room.

There is an exit sign but she ignores it. The boy is standing there waiting. She whispers to the children and they remain. Then she moves forward into the ordering area of the restaurant and heads toward the front counter. A waitress sees her and motions.

Waitress: Ma'am, all ready. I'll ring you here.

The waitress, carrying three bags, moves toward the counter cash register and begins ringing up her take-out order. Magda moves forward and begins fishing cash out of her pocket. She happens to glance over her shoulder and sees two policemen at a booth along the wall. The one seems to be looking at her. She turns away from the officers, fumbles with her cash, and hands several bills to the cashier. The cashier looks at the bills and then up at her and then hands back two of the bills.

Magda (softly): Sank you.

Magda, glancing back at the two officers, hurriedly pushes the two bills into her pocket. She turns to leave.

Waitress (loudly): Ma'am, your change.

Magda, confused, turns and the cashier hands her her change; she pushes it into her pockets and moves towards her children.

A commanding male voice stops her.

Male voice: Ma'am? Ma'am? Stop, please. Stop, ma'am.

Magda halts and freezes. Her whole body is rigid. She cannot turn around. The policeman comes up behind her and he thrusts his arm around her, in front of her, barring her escape. She has been discovered. She looks down at his arm. In his hand is a twenty dollar bill.

Policeman: Ma'am, you dropped this.

She turns. The policeman has kindly eyes and genuinely wants to help her. Behind the policeman a woman is just coming into the diner and moving toward them. It is Terry Bennett.

Magda: Sank you. Sank you too many.

Terry looks up at the accented English.

Policeman: Sure thing.

The policeman turns, and he and Terry Bennett do a doe-si-doe getting past each other. Magda, relieved, continues toward her children.

Terry Bennett (in German): Frau.

Madga has a funny look on her face but she keeps walking away.

Terry Bennett (in German, subtitled): Mutter Magda. I know you. I am your Helga. I have memories of you just as you are. You have not changed a bit from the last time I saw you in 1945. I was born in Berlin April 19, 1942.

Magda stops again. She turns slowly. There are tears in her eyes.

Magda (angrily, in German): No. It cannot be. Do not torture me so. My Helga died in the war.

Terry Bennett (in English, "Dubbed"): No, Mutter, (she cries) I am your Helga. When I couldn't get into the mirror, I hid from the soldiers in our old chifforobe. The Americans later found me. I was adopted by an American family. I have watched the news, and I have been waiting all this time for you to come back for me.

Magda (coming closer, studying Terry's face): Helga? (Magda shakes her head to clear her senses.) Can it really be you? (She studies Terry's face. Magda extends her arms and cups her palms around Terry's jaw, and with her thumbs she pushes away Terry's tears. Then Magda smiles through her own tears.) Ahhh!

Terry Bennett (tears in her eyes): Yes, Mutter. It's indeed a funny world, and there are many rewards. (she moves forward and hugs a startled Magda. Magda's arms flap as though she is indecisive as to whether she should embrace her, then she does.) In fact, you have a grandchild carrying your GREAT grandchild, and she is not more than fifty miles from here. We can go see her.

A startled look appears on Magda's face.

Magda: Oh, sweet lord! I have done the unforgiveable.

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Spike & Dru, A Love Story 2: Motherhood 101 (Part 4 of 4)

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