[Scene: Buffy is back at the Bronze Deux with Willow. They approach the guy she mentioned, who is sitting on a couch, watching the band play.]

Willow: Hey Kevin.

Kevin: (looks up, sees Willow, stands up to greet him) Hey Willow

Willow: This is my friend Buffy (she pushes Buffy forward). She's also a teacher.

Kevin: Oh really? Cool—where do you teach?

Buffy: (embarrassed) Oh, um, do you know the martial arts place on the corner of Doyle and Washington?

Kevin: You teach there?

Buffy: Oh, uh, no! No, I...I just teach at a school near there.

Willow: Well, it seems like you two have a lot to talk about. I'm just going to go (Buffy shoots her a bitchy look)…to the bar to get a drink.

(Buffy and Kevin both sit down on the couch)

Buffy: So, where do you work?

Kevin: (kind of confused) Um, I work with Willow…at the High School…

Buffy: Oh, right, of course. Willow knows you from work. I just meant, um, well, what subject area do you teach in?

Kevin: Oh, okay, yeah, well I teach geography.

Buffy: Sounds…interesting.

Kevin: It really is—people don't recognize how many things are related to geography. (As Buffy gazes into the crowd, she sees another silhouette in a black duster) I teach the kids about climate, weather, topography.

Buffy: (not listening) Topography. That's cool…

Kevin: Yeah, actually, it really...

(his voice trails off as she sees the person in the black duster leave through a side exit of the Bronze Deux).

Buffy: (interrupting Kevin mid-sentence) Um, could you excuse me a second. I have to go to the bathroom. (She stands up and runs off).

Kevin: (kind of thrown) Uh, sure.

Buffy: (as she runs off) Thanks!

(Buffy wades through the throng of people to reach the same exit she saw Spike go through. She rushes to the door and opens it. Looking around outside, Buffy sees nothing but an empty ally)

Buffy: (sighing) Great. I'm not only slumpy, I'm crazy.

(As she starts to close the door and go back into the club, Buffy hears nearby screaming. She immediately rushes out and runs toward the source of the screaming. In an adjacent ally she finds a woman screaming loudly as a vampire prepares to bite her neck.]

Buffy: I'm a little rusty, but why not.

(She pulls a stake out of her purse and rushes at the vampire. He is taken by surprise, but still puts up a fight. The two battle it out for a few minutes—it's clear that Buffy is struggling due to her lack of recent training. Eventually however, she gains the upper hand, knocking him to the ground and swiftly staking him. She looks around, but the girl has run off)

Buffy: Nothing like a good ole fashioned slaying to brighten up the day...or night I guess.

(Cut to Buffy reentering the club and sitting back down at the couch. Kevin is still sitting there and looks happy that she's back from the "bathroom")

Buffy: (sounding much more enthusiastic than her attitude toward him before) Hey, sorry I was gone.

Kevin: Are you okay? (Buffy looks confused) I just mean, it kind of looks like you were in a fight.

Buffy: Yeah, well there was a huge line for the bathroom. I pretty much had to fight my way through there…So, tell me more about topography.

Kevin: Well, it comes down to—

(Willow comes back from the bar, sits down next to Buffy.)

Willow: So, how are you kids doing?

Buffy: (happily) Kevin's telling me about topography.

Willow: Oh cool. Did you tell her the story about the surveyors?

Kevin: I was saving that for the second date (realizing he put his foot in his mouth) Uh, I mean, that's assuming that we have a second date.

Buffy: Well, your prospects are looking good

(Willow and Kevin are both uber happy to hear that)

Kevin: While I'm still on a roll, I think I'll go to the bathroom. Hopefully the line isn't as long as it was for you.

(Kevin exits)

Willow: There was a line to the bathroom when you went? Cuz I just went by there and it didn't—

Buffy: I didn't actually go to the bathroom. I went outside because (stopping herself from revealing how crazy she must seem) because I uh, needed some air, and next thing I know I find a vampire in the ally.

Willow: Oh my God, are you okay? What did you do?

Buffy: (sounding pleased) I slayed it.

Willow: Wow. (kind of shocked) Really? I mean, Buffy it's been so long since you've, you know, done the whole slayage thing.

Buffy: I know, I was kind of surprised to. But I guess it's like learning to ride a bike. Just instead of a bike it's a vampire, and instead of riding them, I stake them…(to herself) usually anyway.

Willow: So it looks like you and Kevin are really hitting it off. I haven't seen you this happy in a while.

Buffy: (surprised herself) yeah, I guess I am. Maybe you were right about the whole dating thing.

[Scene: Buffy enters her house. Willow is in the kitchen. Buffy rushes in to talk with her.]

Buffy: You were totally wrong.

Willow: (alarmed) What?

Buffy: Kevin. I've gone on three dates with him now and I think my head's going to explode if he says the word "geomatics" one more time.

Willow: But it seemed like you guys really hit it off.

Buffy: Yeah, well so much for that theory.

(Willow looks at a sad Buffy with concern for a moment before saying something)

Willow: I was just about to go out and buy some snacks for Madison's party. You want to come with? We can buy ice cream and talk about how much boys suck.

(Buffy smiles despite herself)

[Scene: Buffy and Willow are walking down a main street together, on their way to the store.]

Buffy: Thanks for taking me out Will.

Willow: Sure

Buffy: …even if it is just for a convenience store run.

Willow: Don't forget—ice cream.

Buffy: I just, I don't get it. You know, the end of Sunnydale was supposed to be a new beginning for me. All I wanted was to finally live a normal life. (after a moment of reflection) At first, I thought the reason I wasn't happy was because I was in Europe. The weird food, the foreign languages—

Willow: You were in Scotland!

Buffy: Whatever. The point is, I'm finally realizing that maybe there's something wrong with me. Maybe I'm destined to be unhappy as punishment for, for changing the balance of power, or something.

(At this point, Buffy and Willow have reached the convenience store. Willow stops near the entrance before going inside to address Buffy)

Willow: Buffy you can't think like that. Sure, maybe the powers that be intended for you to die some heroic death instead of activating all the potentials. But you don't let destiny control your future. If you want to, you can still be happy. (After a beat) And tonight, that begins with a quart of ice cream.

Buffy: (smiles) Thanks Will.

(As Willow starts to move toward the entrance to the store, Buffy sees a man far in the distance, smoking against a street corner. He looks like Spike, but she can't quite make him out from that distance.)

Buffy: (wanting to tell her what she sees) Will!

Willow: (turning around, still smiling) Yeah?

Buffy: (she looks back at the street corner, but now there's no one there) Uh, nothing. Never mind (they both enter the store).

(The two walk to the front of the convenience store is. There is a large, beefy guy behind the counter, looking kind of dour. Willow points to a freezer next to the counter]

Willow: Aha, ice cream (she gets out a quart and puts it on the counter).

(Willow walks toward the back of the store to find food for the party. Buffy stands in the front, waiting. It's kind of awkward with the clerk there.)

Clerk: Want anything else?

Buffy: No, I think I'm good.

Clerk: You sure? Lottery tickets, gum, smokes?

(Cut to Willow in the back of the store. She grabs a bag of chips and adds it to her basket of junk food. She walks to the front of the store, where Buffy has already paid for the ice cream, and starts unloading everything.)

Willow: You already paid for the ice cream? Buffy, that was my treat.

Buffy: Oh, it's fine Will, I figured you've already done enough. Besides, if I'm going to take charge of my destiny, I figure I should start with the rocky road