Willow walks through the front door of Buffy's house, followed by Anya. Everyone is glad to see her. She gives Kennedy a hug.

WILLOW: Never been happier to be back in the Hellmouth. Now I can finally get some rest.

BUFFY: Looks like you need it. It looks like Cordelia, well, it look like I don't want to know what Cordelia did to you.

WILLOW: Dirty job. No one else to do it. Anything evil happen while I was gone?

KENNEDY: There was Gwen. But she wasn't exactly evil.

BUFFY: I'm still not completely convinced of that.

WILLOW: Long black hair, white highlights, dressed in form-fitting red?

KENNEDY: So you guys did meet! She kinda hinted at that.

WILLOW: I gotta hear this story.

Giles walks into the room. He doesn't looks somewhat glum.

GILES: I just got off the phone with Wesley. He told me some interesting particulars about your battle with Cordelia.

Giles is in scold mode, but Willow's still glib.

WILLOW: I thought Wesley would be too busy with Kelly to chat for you.

GILES: I talked to her as well. She was far more positive about your performance. Then again, she did miss the crucial First Act.

WILLOW: I suppose there are too banged up for, you know –

ANYA: Banging?

BUFFY: What was Kelly doing in LA?

WILLOW: Besides Wesley? Buffy cringes. Saving my life. Tormenting Angelus. Busy girl. turns to Giles Did Wes tell you about his theory that the Curse Spell isn't Gypsy?

GILES: Yes. It's a novel claim, though I'm not quite convinced of its validity. Can we go upstairs to talk? In private?

BUFFY: Wait. Where's Faith?

WILLOW: Badly injured. She wouldn't do us any good tonight. She promised to drop by tomorrow afternoon.

ANYA: Which conveniently allows her to spend one more night with Lindsey.

GILES: Willow, shall we?

WILLOW: Be right back, sweetie.

Willow gives Kennedy a quick kiss and goes up to her room for one of Giles's stern lectures. But she's in no mood for his admonitions about the dangers of being reckless with magic.

GILES: I don't think I have to tell you why I'm upset.

WILLOW: Is it the baby flaying?

GILES: I can't understand how you can joke about a thing like this after all you've been through.

WILLOW: It wasn't a real baby. The only babies in that room were Wesley and his friends.

GILES: Have you forgotten everything I taught you last summer? I went to great lengths to give you a second chance. There won't be a third.

WILLOW: I did what I had to do.

GILES: You inflicted horrible suffering, and you enjoyed it! You derived visceral pleasure from taking a life.

WILLOW: I saved Cordelia the only way I knew how.

GILES: By turning into a killer? By resorting to the most vicious and sadistic methods?

WILLOW: I had to break her. I had to destroy her will. That was the only way to drive out the evil that was inside of her. If it wasn't for me, Wesley and all his friends would be dead.

GILES: The ends don't always justify the means. Do you think you can control the powers you summoned?

WILLOW: Yes. Because I did.

GILES: This time. You can't turn that kind of dark power on and off whenever it suits you. Sooner or later, the darkness takes you over. You've been down this path before, and it horrifies me that you want to trod heedlessly down it again.

WILLOW: This isn't like before. I learned my lesson. I destroyed myself because I was selfish. I used magic to help myself. There was nothing selfish about what I did this morning. I put my life on the line. I suffered to help other people. And I didn't do it out of vengeance, or blood lust, or a desire to show off. I did it out of love. I wasn't fighting Cordelia. I was helping her. Maybe Wesley doesn't get that. Maybe you don't. But I know she does. And if Cordy isn't mad at me, you have no right to get on my case.

GILES: Please don't tell me you can't even see the danger in what your doing.

WILLOW: When I went bad, you attacked me in order to save me. I did the same thing for Cordy.

GILES: No. I wasn't the same. The things you did, the tricks you pulled, were beyond the pale of any white magics the coven would have given me.

WILLOW: COULD have given you. Those women are amazing, but Cordelia would have wiped the floor with them. If they don't want to get their hands dirty helping people, that's their right. But somebody has to.

GILES: Are you telling me that you believe you can just harness dark powers without consequences?

WILLOW: Look at me, Giles. These are the consequences. she points to her wounds You wanna get on my case, fine. But first, I want you, and Wesley, and whoever else has a problem with my methods to tell me another way I could have gotten the job done. You do that, and I'll admit I was wrong. But until then, don't play armchair warlock.

Willow storms out of her room. Giles takes of his glasses with his right hand and puts his left hand to his forehead, looking stressed as he thinks about the situation. He couldn't bear allowing her to fall off the wagon a second time. Willow sees Kennedy waiting for her in the upstairs hallway.

KENNEDY: Everything okay?

WILLOW: Sure. Why?

Giles walks out into the hallway.

GILES: I just realized, since that is your room, I should have been the one to storm out.

He walks by them and goes downstairs.

WILLOW: Wanna go somewhere?

KENNEDY: I thought you wanted to rest.

WILLOW: Rest and relax. Hard to do either in this cramped little house. I'll go change.

Giles is on the phone in the kitchen.

GILES: Angel. It's Rupert. Delighted to have you back to your old self. Is Cordelia there?

While he's on the phone, Willow and Kennedy head out. Kennedy tells her about Gwen's visit as they walk down the street.

WILLOW: Lucky you? That's Gwen said?

KENNEDY: She asked if I was your girlfriend. When I said said yes, she said "Lucky you." Spike seemed sufficiently freaked.

WILLOW: Why?

KENNEDY: Didn't you know? The two of them had a fling way back when. She dropped by to see him.

WILLOW: Spike! And her? That's just, well . . . Spike?

KENNEDY: She has that whole problem where humans can't touch her.

WILLOW: I know. smirks But Spike?

KENNEDY: She also said she made out with Angel. That's how she got into in the whole evil-fighting scene.

Willow's absorbing this information. Gwen going for Angel is something Willow could see. Willow has always had a higher estimation of Angel vis-a-vis Spike. But Gwen being involved with both of them? That was just, well, eerie.

WILLOW: I'm sure Buffy wasn't too hunky dory with this news.

KENNEDY: Especially after she tried to kill her and Gwen melted her sword. So why was Gwen so into you? She basically said she isn't, but if she was, she would – with you.

WILLOW: She said that? smiles. Savors the compliment You know how good I am at making a great first impression. there's a kernel of truth here. Oz, Tara and Kennedy all fell for Willow the moment they first laid eyes on her.

KENNEDY: You didn't use magic on her?

WILLOW: I save that kinda magic for you, sweetie.

KENNEDY: By the way, what's Faith look like? Gwen said she went out patrolling with Faith, and Xander practically foamed at the mouth.

Willow thinks about Gwen and Faith for a few seconds.

WILLOW: They would make a hot couple. Faith's your classic predatory uber-vixen. She used to be an evil homicidal bitch, back when I was too weak to do anything but run, hide and scream. Now they I'm strong enough to make her fear me nearly as much as I fear her, I find out she's reformed. And dating that musician-slash-lawyer-slash-demon fighter all the girls were drooling over the other night.

KENNEDY: Including you.

WILLOW: There was no drooling on my part. Maybe a slight swoon. I do remember you getting a little weak-kneed. By the way, have you ridden a horse?

KENNEDY: Have I ridden? My parent's summer place in the Hamptons has a stable. Our estate in Croton has an even large one. I did equestrian for six years when I was younger. I thought I mentioned that?

WILLOW: Good. Good. Just making sure.

KENNEDY: Making sure for, why?

WILLOW: Reveal.

A piece of paper materializes in midair and flutters down into Willow's right hand. She chants what is written on the paper, and a portal appears before them. Kennedy is naturally terrified. Willow takes Kennedy's hand, drops the paper to the sidewalk, and walks through the portal. It quickly closes behind her.

KENNEDY: What the hell did you just do?

WILLOW: smiling Look around.

The two of them stand in a lush meadow. Birds are singing as they fly overhead.

KENNEDY: Willow, where are we?

WILLOW: Look at me.

All her wounds are gone. Kennedy is even more astounded than she already was. Willow pulls up Kennedy's shirt and looks at her belly. The scar from the wound Dru gave her has disappeared. Kennedy takes a few seconds to catch her breath.

KENNEDY: Please let me in on what's going up.

WILLOW: Everyone who goes to LA ends up stumbling into another dimension. They got portals a'plenty in that city. My dimension was a lot nicer than the one Buffy fell into. Cordelia was about to immolate me, so Fred – Angel's brainy chick friend I told you about – sent me here for a few seconds. She didn't know where she send me. But she knew it was a place where I wouldn't get hurt. Anyway, it took me like 20 minutes to find my way back. But when I return, they said I'd only been gone for a few seconds.

KENNEDY: So this is where you want to rest and relax.

WILLOW: You know how time works different in other dimensions?

KENNEDY: Like how a day on earth equaled a year where Connor went?

WILLOW: Bingo. I figure a second in Sunnydale is about a minute here. That would mean an hour here is a minute back home. A day is 24 minutes. A week is less than three hours. They'd hardly know we were gone!

KENNEDY: You're crazy.

WILLOW: Wouldn't you like to spend a week with me? A week away from that crowded house? It's a like a free vacation.

KENNEDY: This is cheating. It has to be wrong. It's, it's, it's too perfect to be right. Besides, what would we do here? We're in the middle of nowhere.

WILLOW: It gets a whole lot better. Hecate, goddess, I beseech you, bring us to those who brought me to you.

They disappear and reappear among the Amazons Willow met. Kennedy looks around and laughs, a "you gotta kidding me" expression on her face. The women dismount and walk towards Willow and Kennedy.

ANTIOPE: Willow! You've returned.

WILLOW: Good to see you ladies again. How long has it been?

CALLIOPE: Nearly a fortnight.

ASTERIA: Twelve days. Hi Willow. Glad to have you back.

WILLOW: This is Kennedy. Asteria looks a little disappointed

ASTERIA: So this is your girlfriend. The one you told me about?

WILLOW: Yep.

KENNEDY: What did you tell them about me?

MELANIPPE: She said you were a warrior. Like us.

Kennedy takes in the sight of ten women in decidedly pre-modern clothing with a bows and quivers holstered to their right hips. They seem very friendly. However, Kennedy suspects their idea of warriorhood drastically differs from her own. She smiles in bashful shock.

KENNEDY: Hi there. Nice to meet all of you. Willow, what's going on?

WILLOW: Wouldn't you like a vacation? You heard what she said. It's been 12 days since this morning.

KENNEDY: You want to join their little gang?

WILLOW: Just for a few days. We'll be home before dinner.

Kennedy takes Willow off to the side, away from the women. She glances over at them.

KENNEDY: So what's the deal with that one who gave me dirty looks?

WILLOW: She has a crush on me. I saved her life.

KENNEDY: Didn't hafta do that to get my attention. Kennedy strokes Willow's hair. Then she decides to stop flirting and get serious. I can believe I'm even considering this. Remember when I said magic was a lot like fairy tales? It looks like you're taking that concept a little too literally. glances back at the women This whole thing, it just, it just doesn't seem real. There has to be a downside. It's way too –

WILLOW: Good to be true? Maybe. But look at you life. You've had a lot of bad luck lately. Demons trying to kill you everywhere you turned. Being forced to fight, not just to save yourself, but to save the whole world. Always living in fear, never sure you're gonna make it to next week. After all that bad luck, don't you think it's about time you got a little good luck? Willow rubs Kennedy's left arm with right hand Come on, sweetie. Carpe diem.

Kennedy thinks for a few seconds. Willow did have a point. There was something subversively Karmic about this little escapade.

KENNEDY: Or, as you seem to be thinking, carpe week-um.

Willow is very relieved. They both smile and walk back to the other women.

WILLOW: Would you lovely ladies mind if we tag along for a few days?

ASTERIA: We'd be honored.

Kennedy notices how Asteria is still staring at her, sizing her up.

ASTERIA: to Marpe She's pretty.

MARPE: You're a lot prettier.

EURYBIA: We have ten extra horses. You can use whichever one you like as your mount.

Kennedy takes a large black mare by the bridle. It seems to like her. She prepares to climb on. But when she raises her right foot, she realizes there are no stirrups to step into. Even worse, there is no saddle. She laughs.

KENNEDY: Where are the uh . . . she notices none of the horses have saddles or stirrups This is some kinda joke, right?

The other women don't know what she's talking about. They leap on their horses. Kennedy decides to try it out. She leaps up and barely keeps from falling down the other side of the horse. Then she looks down at Willow.

KENNEDY: You wanna get on?

WILLOW: Um, okay. Maybe now's the time to tell you I'm kind of scared of horses. Of their teeth, actually. But, I suppose, once I'm on its back, it won't be able to bite me.

Kennedy reaches her right hand down. Willow grabs on with both hands and jumps up. Kennedy helps pull her on. She puts her arms around Kennedy's waist. The other women take off, and Kennedy's horse instinctively follows the pack, going straight into a gallop. This takes Kennedy a little by surprise.

WILLOW: How you doing?

KENNEDY: Okay. For now. Just hang on tight.

WILLOW: No problem.

GILES: Have you seen Willow?

ANYA: She went out for coffee with Kennedy. Is there a problem? Is she in trouble? You did seem rather cross when she came home.

GILES: Yes. I suppose I was.

ANYA: Should I go get her?

GILES: No need. When she returns, tell her I talked to Cordelia and everything is all right between us.

ANYA: Between you and Cordelia?

GILES: No. Between me and Willow.

ANYA: Why can't you tell her?

GILES: I'm taking the girls over to the UC-Sunnydale campus for their International Festival.

ANYA: Don't we have an international festival everyday in this house?

GILES: Yes. chuckle I suppose we do. I just wanted to get the girls outdoors for something other than training and slaying.

ANYA: So you're assuming the First has qualms about attacking in broad daylight?

GILES: Buffy will be with us. I put weapons in the van. Just in case.

The doorbell rings.

ANYA: Do these reaper things have to be invited in?

GILES: Anya, please.

He opens the door. Kit and Carlos are there. Giles has never seen them. For a second, he thinks Kit might be a Potential. This is natural, because nearly every young woman he's met over the past six months has been a Potential.

GILES: Can I help you?

KIT: Is Dawn here?

GILES: I'm sorry. Who are you?

Buffy comes down the hallway from the kitchen.

BUFFY: Hey guys. Dawn! Your friends are here.

CARLOS: Hey Buff. Who's this?

BUFFY: Oh. This is Giles. He's my –

GILES: Former high school librarian.

Kit and Carlos appear very confused.

BUFFY: Watcher.

KIT: Oh.

CARLOS: So this is the guy. Hey man. Nice to meet you.

Giles is speechless for a few seconds. People he's never even met know Buffy's the Slayer. Buffy can tell he's stunned.

BUFFY: First day of school, they were attacked by zombies.

GILES: Oh. So you're aware of all this town has to offer, so to speak.

CARLOS: Which reminds me, she'll be back before sundown.

KIT: We uncoupled for the afternoon so we could hang out with Dawn without making her feel bad.

CARLOS: Any word on how Connor's doin' in LA?

BUFFY: Pretty good, from what I've heard.

Dawn comes downstairs.

DAWN: Hey guys. Come on in. Want something to drink?

They walk into the foyer and see the Potentials in the living room.

MOLLY: Ready to roll, Mister Giles?

RONA: It's nice when we get to go out and not kill anyone. she notices there are visitors, and is a bit nervous about her comments being taken out of context.

CARLOS: Hey Rona. Say, Preston's wondering if you're free tonight.

RONA: I dunno. Giles?

GILES: I think we should be leaving now. It was nice meeting you two.

The Potentials go out the front door. Giles turns to Buffy.

GILES: Have we abandoned all semblance of secrecy?

After everyone leaves, Anya decides to go track down Willow. It feels odd being the only one stuck in the house. When she's two blocks from the Espresso Pump, Anya sees a piece of parchment on the ground.

When she returns home, Anya picks up the phone and grabs Angel's number off the bulletin board. With Andrew at the supermarket and Xander on his way back from Los Angeles, she's still alone.

ANYA: Hello. Fred? It's Anya.

FRED: Ya called to talk some more about the hotel?

ANYA: No, this isn't about my visionary plans for your business. Did you send Willow to an Amazon dimension?

FRED: Excuse me. A what?

ANYA: A place with attractive warrior women in form-fitting clothing.

FRED: You were attracted to the women?

ANYA: No. Certainly not in that sense. I was merely making an aesthetic judgement. Look, I know it sounds crazy, but Willow's gone, and I happened to find a teleportation spell lying around which took me to a place called Scyra. Now Willow, for all her power, has never been known to dimension-hop. But from what I hear, that's the sort of thing you people in Los Angeles do all the time.

FRED: Actually, I did kinda send Willow to a benign dimension for a few seconds, to spring her out of a trap before Cordy could kill her.

ANYA: A "benign dimension." Isn't that rich. Apparently you had so idea how "benign." So she stole it from you?

FRED: I don't think so. Lemme check. Here's the book. Nope. She didn't take it. I'm lookin' at the page right here.

ANYA: It's there, and it's in my hand? Of course! A conjuring spell.

FRED: Is Willow in any kinda danger?

ANYA: No, she shouldn't be. The place looked demon-free. This is just what Willow needs. Another trick up her sleeve. Thanks to you.

FRED: I saved her life! How was I to know she'd like the place so much she'd magically Bogart her way back there?

ANYA: Fred, I'm not blaming you. I'm not even saying it's your fault. Though you are directly responsible.

FRED: Why would she choose to go to another dimension? Why would anyone take that sorta risk?

ANYA: I know the concept may sound perverse to you, for obvious reasons. But this isn't a hell dimension. Or even a run-of-the-mill demon dimension. It's an Amazon dimension. Willow took her girlfriend to an Amazon dimension. For the two of them, it's like lesbian summer camp. This sort of thing isn't that unusual. Back in my demon days, I knew a lot of creatures who engaged in recreational time-theft.

FRED: Theft? Willow's stealing time?

ANYA: I was in Scyra for three hours. When I got home, I noticed my watch was about three hours fast.

FRED: So she can have her fun but nobody misses her. You know something? When Willow came back, she asked how long she'd been gone. When I told her a few seconds, she seemed surprised.

ANYA: That must be when she figured it out.

FRED: Is there anything you want me to do to help?

ANYA: No. There's really nothing you can do. Don't worry. Everything should be okay. Then again, if something does go wrong and Willow and Kennedy get killed and never make it back, Buffy and Giles and Xander might blame you for their deaths. Have a nice day. hangs up

SPIKE: So how did you fancy it?

Anya jumps. She didn't know Spike was in the kitchen.

ANYA: What was that?

SPIKE: The laughs Amazon dimension that Red and Ken have sodded off to.

ANYA: Oh. That. giggles I was just joking. Willow in a "Amazon Dimension." Ha-ha-ha. You fell for it? You thought I was serious?

Spike grabs her right wrist.

SPIKE: Your watch is still fast.

ANYA: No it's not. I had it set for Eastern time. So it's in sync with the New York Stock Exchange. You know how much I love money.

SPIKE: Don't worry. I won't tell. No. I will tell. If I'm still here. If, on the other hand, I'm gone by the time Rupert and Buffy get back, I can't tell. Am I right?

Anya sighs.

ANYA: What do you want?

SPIKE: I hear that in these other dimensions, vampires can go out in the daytime.

ANYA: Oh no. You wanna go.

SPIKE: I'll be back by tonight. Like you said, they won't even know I'm gone.

ANYA: All so you can get some Amazon action? I know that's what you want.

SPIKE: Anya, please. You know I would never –

ANYA: You want to fight them. Can't pass up the chance to tangle with a few new women warriors. Spike, they have arrows. And just cause Angel could walk in the sun on Pylea doesn't mean you won't get burned to a crisp in Scyra.

SPIKE: Both good points. But I'll take my chances. Always have. Now what's Buffy's cell phone on the speed dial? picks up receiver, looks at the list That's right. 3.

ANYA: Okay. You win. Spike hangs the phone up. Anya shakes her head I know I'm going to regret this. sighs The portal's outside. So you may have some trouble getting to it.

SPIKE: I'll put on my coat.

ANYA: It's at the corner of Main and Phillips. Meet me there in ten minutes. Wait. One more thing.

SPIKE: What?

ANYA: Gimme your car keys.

SPIKE: You wanna drive through the portal?

ANYA: Don't be ridiculous. The portal's on the sidewalk. Letting you travel to another dimension is bad enough without me pulling a Lizzie Grubman getting you there. I want the keys because, in the event of you not making it back, I'll need to skip town before Buffy kills me.

Spike puts on his coat and tosses his keys to Anya.

SPIKE: Main and Phillips? Ten minutes?

Ten minutes later Anya stands on the sidewalk, looking around for Spike. He should be pretty easy to spot. Soon enough, a hunched figure with smoke rising off his back comes racing towards her at very high speed, forcing pedestrians to duck out of the way. Anya reads the incantation, and the portal opens when Spike is ten feet away. He races through it and disappears. Anya steps through as well. Spike looks up at the blue sky and laughs.

SPIKE: Bloody brilliant. Do you know how long it's been since I've seen the sun?

ANYA: More than a century?

SPIKE: Three-and-a-half years, actually. But it feels that long.

ANYA: Don't do anything stupid. No. You will. I know that. Try not get in trouble. No. You will. Try not to get killed, okay?

SPIKE: I wonder if the people here have ever seen a vampire. They might not even know how to kill me.

ANYA: Or they'll just keep filling you with arrows until one hits your heart. Be careful. I'm going to go find Willow and Kennedy. Shouldn't be too hard to find a massively powerful witch in strikingly anachronistic clothing.

SPIKE: You're staying?

ANYA: Only to make sure they're okay. And to let them know that if they don't come back right away I'll tell Buffy and Giles.

SPIKE: Bollocks. You're looking for a spot of fun just like the rest of us. Gone for days, and nobody would notice? Don't tell me you'd pass that up.

ANYA: Bye Spike. You have the text I wrote down for you?

Spike reaches into his jacket pockets. Then the back pockets of his jeans. Finally, he finds a crumpled-up ball of paper in his left front jeans pocket. He flattens it out.

SPIKE: Yep. Got my ticket back. Cheers. Have fun, love.

Anya heads west while Spike heads east. The locals told her about warrior women on horseback grazing to the west. She's already regretting bringing Spike along.

ANYA: What's the worst thing that can happen? I'm sure that's what the Donner Party said.

After walking through the hills and valleys for more than an hour, Spike is getting hungry. He's seen quite a few sheep. But there's all that fur to bite through. Plus they're being closely tended by shepherds with wooden staffs. He could fight off one shepherd, but that man would go back to his village, tell everyone, and soon enough he'd have an angry mob on his heels. Eventually, Spike comes upon a baby calf standing all alone. He's always been a veal sort of guy. There aren't any people around. So he decides to go for it. Spike runs over and picks up the calf, who squeals and kicks her little legs in terror. Spike digs into the animal's jugular. Within ten seconds, he's full. Spike drops the carcass. It had been a while since he'd drunk fresh blood. It tasted good.

As usual, Spike hadn't completely thought things through. There were no humans around. But there were three other cattle. The calf's mother moos loudly and charges toward her baby's murderer. Spike hears the heffer's hooves and turns to face her. He sees a 2000 pound animal rushing straight for him at 20 miles-an hour.

SPIKE: Oh. Bloody –

The cows head hits his chest. Spike flies through the air and lands on his back. The cow stands right over him. He still has on his vampire face. Spike growls. This startles the animal. Spike grabs her head and snaps her neck. He stands up, grabbing his chest and wincing from the pain caused by the blow.

SPIKE: Good thing that wasn't a bull. Hate to get gored.

The other two cattle run away from the predator and find another pasture to graze in. Spike wipes the blood from his chin and starts to walk towards a nearby stream. He hears the galloping of horse's hooves behind him. Spike turns around and sees two riders on horseback wearing brightly-colored pants, long-sleeved shirts and conical hats. One of them dismounts and looks at the two carcasses. She's never seen anything like it. The woman on horseback sees Spike and races towards him. The other woman remounts and follows suit.

SPIKE: Uh oh.

Spike knows he can't outrace a horse. Part of him regrets getting into trouble. A much larger part of him relishes the chance to fight. As his attackers close, he realizes they're women. Spike smiles. He's found his Amazons. Spike is still bumpy, and there's still a little blood around his mouth. They realize this is the monster who killed their animals. Belatedly, Spike feels his fangs and decides its best to go back to back to his human face.

SPIKE: Hello girls.

The women get within ten feet of Spike, then wheel around on their horses, hoping he'll charge after them. Spike stands still. They look at each other. They've never seen anything remotely like Spike. The face. The eyes. The fangs. But even with his human face, Spike was an oddity. His hair was very unusual. Not to mention his black jeans, black boots, black t-shirt and black leather jacket. Spike wasn't just a monster. He was a very foreign monster. A very foreign changeling monster. After riding 50 yards away from Spike, the women wheeled around and attacked, circling towards him on his left and right. They drew back their bowstrings.

SPIKE: Maybe Anya had a point.

Spike rushes at the woman on his left. Her arrow hits his left shoulder. As she reloads, the woman is surprised at how fast Spike moves. She's about to get even more surprised. Spike leaps in the air as she lets her second arrow fly. The arrow misses and Spike grabs her in mid-air, pulling her off her horse. Her back slams into the ground, and Spike lands on top of her. The impact knocks the wind out her. The other fighter wheels around and shoots Spike in the back, the arrow entering a few inches below his neck. He turns around. She dismounts and pulls out an ax.

SPIKE: You'll kill me. I won't kill you. No fair for me.

She swings the ax downward for his skull. Spike moves to the right, avoids the blow, kicks her in the stomach with his left foot and punches her in the face with a right cross. She goes down.

SPIKE: You're only double-teaming me. No fair for you.

The other fighter gets to her feet. Spike knocks her back down with a left jab and a right roundhouse kick.

SPIKE: You ladies don't know what you're up against.

He hears more hoofs rumbling towards him. Spike looks to his right and sees eight more riders galloping towards him. They appear to be dressed like the two women he is fighting. This is a bit much, even for his tastes.

SPIKE: Perfect. Just bloody perfect.

Spike picks one of the women up and uses her as a shield. The warriors lower their bows. The other Amazon on the ground swings her ax for the back of Spike's skull. He knocks her down with a right back kick. Then he whispers in the ear of the woman he's holding.

SPIKE: Relax love. Things go my way, everyone lives.

When the attackers are within ten yards, Spike throws down his human shield. The lead attacker raises her spear, preparing to stab Spike as she races by him. Spike steps towards her and clobbers her horse in the head with a right hook. The horse immediately goes down and its rider falls to the ground. Another rider charges and prepares to fire an arrow. Spike grabs the horse's bridle and pulls it upwards so the animal stands on its hind legs. The arrow sails off into the distance and the rider falls off. The other attackers dismount and rush at Spike from all sides. He kicks one woman in the face. She falls on her back and Spike rips the ax out of her right hand. Holding the ax in his left hand, Spike clubs two women on the head with the blunt back end. A third woman swings for him. Spike blocks her ax with his own. While the two weapons are entangled, Spike drops her with a right jab. He let's go of the ax, ducks a spear thrust for his neck, knocks that attacker down with a left cross, then throws another attacker to the ground. One woman remains standing. She takes her spear in her left hand and thrusts for Spike's chest. He grabs the shaft with both hands before the point can connect. After he does this, she kicks him in the stomach with her right foot and punches him in the face with a left hook. Spike backpedals and she continues her attack. Holding her spear with both hands like a staff, she tries to sweep Spike's legs out. He jumps up to avoid the attempt. The warrior spins around and throws a left roundhouse kick. Spike blocks it, but nearly gets stabbed in the chest right afterwards. He grabs the spear blade with his left hand and rips it away from the shaft with his right. Spike knocks his shocked opponent down with a left jab and a right cross.

Just then, the woman Spike dismounted before she could let loose her arrow stabs him in the back with her sword. The blade goes straight through his heart and the point comes out the front of his chest. Spike spins and knocks the attacker down with the back of his right hand. The woman whose horse Spike punched runs at him, her spear in hand. Spike turns and prepares to hit her with a left cross. She backs away in horror when she notices there's a sword sticking out of Spike's chest and this doesn't seem to bother him. Spike reaches back with his right hand, grabs the handle and pulls the sword out of his chest. He winces and groans. Though the wound is not fatal, it is still quite painful. The Amazon who punched and kicked him, and who seems to be the leader, comes at him with a sword. She swings for his neck. Spike blocks her with his own sword – the one covered in his own blood. He blocks a second slash, then swings his sword and severs his opponent's blade. Spike grabs the woman and holds her from behind, putting his sword against her neck. He looks around at the other attackers.

SPIKE: You leave. I let her go. Sod off now, okay? several of the women remount their horses and start trotting away from Spike Now you're getting it.

When all of them are on their horses and have started to slowly retreat, Spike throws his captive to the ground. He walks over to the woman who stabbed him.

SPIKE: I believe this is yours.

He holds the sword out. As if she wasn't stunned enough. The woman looks at the grinning Spike, grabs her sword, puts it in its scabbard, and gallops away from him as fast as she can. He then goes over to the group's apparent leader, who has just risen to her feet and is slowly walking back to her horse.

SPIKE: No hard feelings, love? Good fight. You have some nice moves. Wouldn't mind another go at it, long as you promise to keep your cohorts on the sidelines. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two.

The Amazon can't figure out why the oddly dressed, disturbingly invincible bandit, who only a few seconds ago was ready to cut her throat, is now flirting with her. Like her fellow warriors, she pretty much can't make sense of anything Spike has done. She slowly backs away from him, leaps on her horse and gallops off to the west with her fellow warriors. Spike realizes that there are several arrows in him, most of which he doesn't remember getting hit with. In addition to the one in his shoulder and the one in the back of his neck, there are two in his stomach and one in the back of his head. He pulls them all out one-by-one, and is most concerned with the head wound, since it might damage his hair. Spike walks over the the stream on the eastern edge of the pasture to clean up. Fifty yards to the east, on the other side of the stream, stand several dozen men, women and children, gawking at him. He tries to ignore them, assuming they're probably mad at him for killing cattle and causing trouble. They whisper to each other.

SPIKE: Defender of the people? Spike chuckles at the absurdity. The people are astounded that he could hear them Why the bloody hell do you think I'm you're bloody champion?

The people are afraid to approach him. Finally, a skinny kid who looks barely twenty years old runs out and crosses the stream to meet Spike face-to-face.

KREON: Because you saved us.

SPIKE: I did what?