At the Bronze, Anya, Xander, Buffy, and Spike now surround Halfrek, prepared to get to the bottom of the Kulgari demon situation.

Halfrek: Anyanka! Long time no see. How's mortal life treating you?

Xander: (irritably) Her name is Anya!

Halfrek: Still with the man with the nice arms, I see.

Anya: He's mine; you can't have him. (Buffy and Spike raise an eyebrow at Anya's digression; Xander nods with smile). But that's not why we're here.

Halfrek: Then to what do I owe the pleasure?

Anya: Don't play clueless; you know why we're here (Halfrek just shrugs). Kulgari demons? Come on, Hallie. You're better than that…or at least you used to be.

Halfrek: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Buffy: Sure you do. You know, the Kulgari; the ones you summoned to do the dirty work for you so that you can con more vulnerable people into spreading the vengeance and misery to all.

Halfrek: (defensively) I am not spreading misery to all, and I am not a con. I'm doing my job, just like you. I'm giving justice to the wronged-

Buffy: Justice? Oh really. Then do you mind telling me who Tara Maclay wronged, because tonight she was attacked by one of your little demon bitches.

Halfrek: Are you sure it was a Kulgari demon that I know?

Anya: His name's Troy…or at least that's his stage name.

Halfrek: Hm…that doesn't sound like him. I'll be sure to have a talk with him about-

Buffy steps forward and cuts Halfrek off again, getting into her face.

Buffy: You know (pulls a stake out of her jacket), I getting sick of talking.

Halfrek: (incredulously) So what are you gonna do? Poke me with your stick ? It doesn't really hurt so much as it kinda tickles.

Anya: She's a vengeance demon, Buffy. That won't kill her…the whole immortality thing and all.

Xander: That explains how the Kulgari was still able to Kung Fu with the ax in his back.

Halfrek: See that's what I love about them; they never give up.

Buffy: So you admit to opening the portal to their realm.

Halfrek: Good work Nancy Drew, but I'm sorry to say that I can't take credit for freeing the Kulgari. (Everyone looks at her skeptically) Don't you remember Anya? We as demons can't grant the wishes of other demons. A little thing called conflict of interest.

Spike: Then what can you do?

Halfrek: Excuse me?

Spike: You're all talk. You strut in here all, "Look at me; I'm immortal. I'm hot stuff." All you can do is make some weaker humans even more miserable. That's not a gift; humans have been doing that to each other for centuries.

Halfrek: This coming from an impotent vampire. I'm surprised you remember what it's like to be a pathetic human.

Xander: Who you calling pathetic?

Halfrek raises an eyebrow at him, clearly surprised that he would dare to talk to her that way.

Spike: He' got a point. We're not the ones picking up victims at a bar on Christmas.

While Xander and Spike continue to distract Halfrek with verbal jabs, Anya quietly sneaks around behind Halfrek, trying to get a good shot at the necklace she's wearing.

Xander: I've got a wish. I wish you were less pathetic. Can you grant that one?

Anya creeps even closer, and Buffy realizes what her plan is, so she joins Xander and Spike in keeping Halfrek's focus away from Anya.

Buffy: Yeah, that'd be nice. Then we wouldn't have to waste our time with a bad Jiminy Cricket impersonator. (mockingly) 'When you wish upon a washed up vengeance demon...'

Halfrek, becoming increasingly infuriated, raises her arms to take on the Slayer and her friends, but the motion gives Anya just the opportunity she needs. She rushes forward and snatches Halfrek's pendant in her hand. Halfrek whirls around to face Anya, backing against the wall; she's the vulnerable one now.

Anya: This is the pendant D'Hoffryn gave you? Mine was so much prettier.

Halfrek: Who are you, Anyanka? You used to be one of us.

Anya: Things change.

Halfrek: So what, now that you're one of them you just let them tell you what to do?

Anya: No, but unless you want to be stuck here as 'one of us' (holding up pendant to get her point across), I suggest that you do.

Halfrek looks at the four of them, and finally, convinced that she's cornered, gives in.

Halfrek: Fine. A human had to open the portal with a wish.

Buffy: Could you be a little more specific?

Halfrek: Jackie Something-or-another. A college student.

Xander: How'd you dupe her into wishing to open the gates of a pretty much unknown realm?

Halfrek: She couldn't make it home for the Holidays, so she wished that the realms could be opened magically so that she could go through time.

Anya: But you can't go through time just by traveling to another realm.

They all ponder this until the light bulbs click; Halfrek made her think that on purpose.

Buffy: (In disbelief) You lied to her about opening the gates of a Hell dimension?

Halfrek: It's not Hell, for your information, and it wasn't so much lying as "willfully misleading with a goal in mind."

Buffy and Xander share a look of disgust at Halfrek's justification of her methods.

Spike: Whatever just tell us where this girl is.

Halfrek: So you can go and save the day like a good vampire? Aww, that's cute.

Spike: (to Anya, gesturing toward the pendant) Give me that!

Halfrek: (quickly) She's in Stevenson Hall. (Spike stops before taking the pendant, waiting for more information) Room 219, I think.

Buffy: (to Anya) You and Xander stay here; keep an eye on her.

Anya: I'll keep both on her.

Buffy: (tries to ignore Anya's off the wall comment) Right. Spike and I will go find "Jackie," and end this once and for all. Then maybe everyone can go back to enjoying the Holiday; (pouting) I didn't get to open my gifts yet.

Spike: (turns towards door) Let's go.

Xander: Don't be too long.

Everyone looks at Xander strangely.

Xander: (nods in Halfrek's direction) You know, in case she tries to pull anything. Not that we can't handle it…I kinda don't wanna miss A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Anya and Buffy roll their eyes and Spike snickers.

Xander: What? It's tradition!