[Scene: Sunnydale High School]
Buffy: (on the phone) How many? Fifteen? That seems. . .(a boy walks into her office and she waves him in) Yeah, are they all bad? Ooh, that is bad. Okay Will, just keep looking. Thanks, um, I'll be home later. Yeah whatever's going on I think it has something to do with our new big bad. . .okay, check on Spike for me please. Thanks, bye. (hangs up the phone) Hi, sorry, um, Leon right, Leon Tyler?
Leon: Yeah.
Buffy: Okay, what's the problem? What do you want to talk about?
Leon: Girls.
[Scene: Summers' House - Basement]
Spike: No, leave me alone, go away, I'm not listening to you, I said sod off!
Willow: (comes down the stairs) Spike?
Spike: You're not here. I don't here you. You think you have control over me, well you're wrong! I'm my own man. I can- oh (chuckles) oh that's how you want to play it huh? (chuckles)
Willow: Spike is someone here?
Spike: I can't- I can't do it. I can't listen. Can't kill again. No more hurting. Please, please.
Willow: Spike talk to me, what's wrong?
Spike: (looks up and there are tears in his eyes) Where did you come from?
Willow: Is there someone here?
Spike: (looks around) Who? Who's here? Buffy? Is she home?
Willow: No, not yet, are you okay?
Spike: (shakes his head yes) I-if I don't listen to them, they can't control me. . .much. Willow: Who? Listen to who?
Spike: (looks past Willow and the first/Buffy is standing there behind her) You're not here.
The first: Spiky, you know what I want you to do. . .you know.
Spike: No, no I won't hurt anyone, I won't hurt anyone else.
Willow: Spike who is it? Who's here? The first: You're a killer Spike. That's what you were born to be. That's what you'll ever be good at. Why fight your destiny?
Spike: Shut up! Shut your mouth! (huddles in the corner in a ball rocking back and forth) I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening. . .(Spikes keeps saying "I'm not listening" and Willow walks back upstairs)
Cut to upstairs
Xander: Any luck getting through to him?
Willow: Nadda, he's. . .I think the first is down there, talking to him. He's really bad, I don't know how much longer he can ignore this thing.
Xander: Will! (Willow looks behind her and Spike is standing there vamped out)
Spike: Not much. (takes Willow and bites her)
Willow: Ah!
Xander: Willow! (Xander gets a frying pan and hits Spike over the head with it and knocks him out) Will are you okay?
Willow: Yeah. . .oh god.
Xander: Here. (hands her a paper towel) We have to call Buffy.
[Scene: Mausoleum]
The first/Spike: (as the bringers finish digging the hole) That's right boys. He's slipping, he's slipping and soon he will bring all of them here. Soon he will be ours.
[Scene: Sunnydale High School]
Buffy: (Is sleeping, the phone rings and she jumps) Vampires! Uh, (answers the phone) H-hello?
Xander: Buffy, it's Xander, we have a big problem.
Cut to the Summers' house
Buffy: (her voice can be heard through the phone Xander is talking on) What is it?
Xander: It's Spike. He tried to kill Willow.
Cut to the school
Buffy: What? I-is she okay? Did he hurt her?
Xander: He bit her, but she's going to be okay.
Buffy: I'll be right there. (hangs up the phone, gets her jacket and gets up, Principal Wood comes up to her)
Principal Wood: Where are you going?
Buffy: Uh, home, there's some problems, a-at the house, um that I have to go deal with, uh, bye. (leaves, Principal Wood looks on at her and gives her a strange look)
[Scene: the Summer's House - Buffy walks through the door]
Xander: Buff.
Buffy: Will, are you okay?
Willow: (Andrew puts a band aid on her neck) Yeah, I'm fine.
Buffy: (sternly) Where is he?
Xander: Downstairs in the basement. We tied him up. (Buffy goes down in the basement)
Cut to the basement
Buffy: Spike? (goes over to where Spike is chained to a wall) Why? why did you-
Spike: I don't know. I can't control myself anymore Buffy. I-I'm slipping. I can feel it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Buffy: Spike-
Spike: Is she okay, I didn't. . .I didn't kill her did I?
Buffy: No, you almost did, but no.
Spike: Please, please help me. I don't know what I'm doing, why. I can't control this thing. It's controlling me.
Buffy: Spike, you can fight this thing, okay.
Spike: No, I can't, this thing it's. . .it knows how to get to me Buffy. It's knows what to say, to get me to go insane, to kill. I'd be better off dead. (looks up at her) You have to kill me.
Buffy: No, Spike I'm not giving up on you. I do not give up on the people I-
Spike: Love?
Buffy: Care about.
Spike: Buffy I'm slipping, I can feel it. It's taking me. It has a hold of me and it won't let go until I'm under.
Buffy: Listen to me. I know that this is hard for you-
Spike: You have no idea. You can't possibly.
Buffy: All right, maybe I don't, but Spike, I'm still not giving up on you okay, never
Spike: It's killing me anyway Buffy. Everything I've done. . .I can feel every one of them. Every person. It's so hard.
Buffy: You're a fighter Spike, I know that, and so do you. We can make it through this.
Cut to upstairs
Xander: Do you think she's going to kill him?
Willow: If I know Buffy, no. I mean if it really comes down to death, I know she'll be the one standing, but she's not giving up on him that easy. And I don't think that she should.
Xander: I'm not sure I'm following Will, I mean he tried to kill you.
Willow: I didn't understand at first either, why she was holding on so tight. Xander, Buffy likes to believe that people can change. And that's what makes her such a good person. And she's usually right about people. We have to trust her on this. She's our friend. We have to know that she wouldn't have faith in Spike if she didn't think it would be okay.
Xander: Maybe you're right. I'm just worried. I mean when Angel went all crazy-psycho killer guy he wanted to drive her insane. He went after all her friends, and that's us.
Willow: Spike's different. He has a soul. It's not his fault that he's doing these things. The first is controlling him.
Buffy: (comes up from the basement) And we have to find out why.
Dawn: (comes through the door) Hey guys, what's up?
Xander: Spike tried to kill Willow.
Dawn: Oh my god are you okay?
Willow: I'm fine.
Dawn: Buffy.
Buffy: I know, he's out of control.
Dawn: He's more than out of control. Buffy what if he tires again? What if he succeeds?
Buffy: Look guys I know okay, I know, but he's tied up.
Xander: Buff, the tying him up isn't the solution, it's the problem, that's what you can't see. The fact that he has to be tied up says something.
Buffy: The first has to have some sort of plan or something. This thing is more powerful than anything we have ever gone up against, and it can't even touch us. . .why Spike? Why is it doing this to him? I mean I'm the slayer, why isn't it- Why not Willow? She's more powerful than any of us here, and it hasn't even. . .Look guys I'm not saying that I want any of you to get hurt, or I want. . .but why Spike?
Dawn: Maybe it's because you care about him so much. Maybe it's trying to pull your strings by pulling his.
Buffy: Maybe, but whatever its plan is we have to stop it. Spike's slipping big time.
Xander: Yeah we can see that.
Buffy: Hit the books guys. It's research time. (goes back downstairs)
[Scene: Mausoleum]
The first/Spike: It's time boys, when the sun sets, we go in.
Commercial Break
Buffy: (on the phone) How many? Fifteen? That seems. . .(a boy walks into her office and she waves him in) Yeah, are they all bad? Ooh, that is bad. Okay Will, just keep looking. Thanks, um, I'll be home later. Yeah whatever's going on I think it has something to do with our new big bad. . .okay, check on Spike for me please. Thanks, bye. (hangs up the phone) Hi, sorry, um, Leon right, Leon Tyler?
Leon: Yeah.
Buffy: Okay, what's the problem? What do you want to talk about?
Leon: Girls.
[Scene: Summers' House - Basement]
Spike: No, leave me alone, go away, I'm not listening to you, I said sod off!
Willow: (comes down the stairs) Spike?
Spike: You're not here. I don't here you. You think you have control over me, well you're wrong! I'm my own man. I can- oh (chuckles) oh that's how you want to play it huh? (chuckles)
Willow: Spike is someone here?
Spike: I can't- I can't do it. I can't listen. Can't kill again. No more hurting. Please, please.
Willow: Spike talk to me, what's wrong?
Spike: (looks up and there are tears in his eyes) Where did you come from?
Willow: Is there someone here?
Spike: (looks around) Who? Who's here? Buffy? Is she home?
Willow: No, not yet, are you okay?
Spike: (shakes his head yes) I-if I don't listen to them, they can't control me. . .much. Willow: Who? Listen to who?
Spike: (looks past Willow and the first/Buffy is standing there behind her) You're not here.
The first: Spiky, you know what I want you to do. . .you know.
Spike: No, no I won't hurt anyone, I won't hurt anyone else.
Willow: Spike who is it? Who's here? The first: You're a killer Spike. That's what you were born to be. That's what you'll ever be good at. Why fight your destiny?
Spike: Shut up! Shut your mouth! (huddles in the corner in a ball rocking back and forth) I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening. . .(Spikes keeps saying "I'm not listening" and Willow walks back upstairs)
Cut to upstairs
Xander: Any luck getting through to him?
Willow: Nadda, he's. . .I think the first is down there, talking to him. He's really bad, I don't know how much longer he can ignore this thing.
Xander: Will! (Willow looks behind her and Spike is standing there vamped out)
Spike: Not much. (takes Willow and bites her)
Willow: Ah!
Xander: Willow! (Xander gets a frying pan and hits Spike over the head with it and knocks him out) Will are you okay?
Willow: Yeah. . .oh god.
Xander: Here. (hands her a paper towel) We have to call Buffy.
[Scene: Mausoleum]
The first/Spike: (as the bringers finish digging the hole) That's right boys. He's slipping, he's slipping and soon he will bring all of them here. Soon he will be ours.
[Scene: Sunnydale High School]
Buffy: (Is sleeping, the phone rings and she jumps) Vampires! Uh, (answers the phone) H-hello?
Xander: Buffy, it's Xander, we have a big problem.
Cut to the Summers' house
Buffy: (her voice can be heard through the phone Xander is talking on) What is it?
Xander: It's Spike. He tried to kill Willow.
Cut to the school
Buffy: What? I-is she okay? Did he hurt her?
Xander: He bit her, but she's going to be okay.
Buffy: I'll be right there. (hangs up the phone, gets her jacket and gets up, Principal Wood comes up to her)
Principal Wood: Where are you going?
Buffy: Uh, home, there's some problems, a-at the house, um that I have to go deal with, uh, bye. (leaves, Principal Wood looks on at her and gives her a strange look)
[Scene: the Summer's House - Buffy walks through the door]
Xander: Buff.
Buffy: Will, are you okay?
Willow: (Andrew puts a band aid on her neck) Yeah, I'm fine.
Buffy: (sternly) Where is he?
Xander: Downstairs in the basement. We tied him up. (Buffy goes down in the basement)
Cut to the basement
Buffy: Spike? (goes over to where Spike is chained to a wall) Why? why did you-
Spike: I don't know. I can't control myself anymore Buffy. I-I'm slipping. I can feel it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Buffy: Spike-
Spike: Is she okay, I didn't. . .I didn't kill her did I?
Buffy: No, you almost did, but no.
Spike: Please, please help me. I don't know what I'm doing, why. I can't control this thing. It's controlling me.
Buffy: Spike, you can fight this thing, okay.
Spike: No, I can't, this thing it's. . .it knows how to get to me Buffy. It's knows what to say, to get me to go insane, to kill. I'd be better off dead. (looks up at her) You have to kill me.
Buffy: No, Spike I'm not giving up on you. I do not give up on the people I-
Spike: Love?
Buffy: Care about.
Spike: Buffy I'm slipping, I can feel it. It's taking me. It has a hold of me and it won't let go until I'm under.
Buffy: Listen to me. I know that this is hard for you-
Spike: You have no idea. You can't possibly.
Buffy: All right, maybe I don't, but Spike, I'm still not giving up on you okay, never
Spike: It's killing me anyway Buffy. Everything I've done. . .I can feel every one of them. Every person. It's so hard.
Buffy: You're a fighter Spike, I know that, and so do you. We can make it through this.
Cut to upstairs
Xander: Do you think she's going to kill him?
Willow: If I know Buffy, no. I mean if it really comes down to death, I know she'll be the one standing, but she's not giving up on him that easy. And I don't think that she should.
Xander: I'm not sure I'm following Will, I mean he tried to kill you.
Willow: I didn't understand at first either, why she was holding on so tight. Xander, Buffy likes to believe that people can change. And that's what makes her such a good person. And she's usually right about people. We have to trust her on this. She's our friend. We have to know that she wouldn't have faith in Spike if she didn't think it would be okay.
Xander: Maybe you're right. I'm just worried. I mean when Angel went all crazy-psycho killer guy he wanted to drive her insane. He went after all her friends, and that's us.
Willow: Spike's different. He has a soul. It's not his fault that he's doing these things. The first is controlling him.
Buffy: (comes up from the basement) And we have to find out why.
Dawn: (comes through the door) Hey guys, what's up?
Xander: Spike tried to kill Willow.
Dawn: Oh my god are you okay?
Willow: I'm fine.
Dawn: Buffy.
Buffy: I know, he's out of control.
Dawn: He's more than out of control. Buffy what if he tires again? What if he succeeds?
Buffy: Look guys I know okay, I know, but he's tied up.
Xander: Buff, the tying him up isn't the solution, it's the problem, that's what you can't see. The fact that he has to be tied up says something.
Buffy: The first has to have some sort of plan or something. This thing is more powerful than anything we have ever gone up against, and it can't even touch us. . .why Spike? Why is it doing this to him? I mean I'm the slayer, why isn't it- Why not Willow? She's more powerful than any of us here, and it hasn't even. . .Look guys I'm not saying that I want any of you to get hurt, or I want. . .but why Spike?
Dawn: Maybe it's because you care about him so much. Maybe it's trying to pull your strings by pulling his.
Buffy: Maybe, but whatever its plan is we have to stop it. Spike's slipping big time.
Xander: Yeah we can see that.
Buffy: Hit the books guys. It's research time. (goes back downstairs)
[Scene: Mausoleum]
The first/Spike: It's time boys, when the sun sets, we go in.
Commercial Break