INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT (NIGHT 1)

The Scooby Gang is gathering around the war table. Giles is already there, referring to a half burned tome and intently writing in a notebook.

BUFFY
Look, I know mom wants to gather and make
with the merry tomorrow night, but with
everything going on -

WILLOW
-- this is exactly what you need! A twentieth
birthday party with presents and funny hats
and candles you can't blow out!
(to Tara)
Those used to scare me.

TARA
Me too!

BUFFY
I just don't know if this is a good time to
break out the party piñata, Will. We need to
stay focused if we're going to find a way to
stop Glory.

Xander, his wrist still in a cast from his run-in with Olaf, voices the general consensus.

XANDER
We're going up against a god. An actual,
mightier-than-thou god.

WILLOW
You know what they say. The bigger they
are…

ANYA
The faster they stomp you into nothin'.

BUFFY
She's right. I've thrown everything I got at
her, and she just shrugs it off.

WILLOW
Then we have to find something
heavier to throw.

Giles looks up from his notes.

GILES
That might pose some difficulty. From what
the Council has been able to discover from the
Book of Tarnis and other sources, Glory and
two of her fellow Hellgods ruled one of the
particularly nastier demon dimensions.

BUFFY
There's more than one?

ANYA
There are thousands of demon dimensions.
All different.

GILES
And all pushing at the edges of this reality,
trying to find a way in.

BUFFY
I guess Glory found one. The question is why?

GILES
(re: Book of Tarnis)
There's nothing here to indicate. Just vague
references to chaos and destruction.

WILLOW
Just once I'd like to hear a reference to balloon
animals.

BUFFY
Okay, so we know where Glory's from, but
what do we know about her? She's tough, yeah,
but no bolts of lightening or blasts of fire.
Shouldn't a god be able to do that kind of stuff?

GILES
Usually, yes. Being in human form must be
severely limiting her powers. All we have to
worry about now is her being immortal,
invulnerable, and on the constant brink of
insanity.

XANDER
A crazy Hellgod? And the fun just keeps
on leaving.

GILES
The way I see it, living in our world is
affecting her mentally. She's only able to
keep her mind intact by extracting energy
from us - from the human, well, from the
human brain.

TARA
(horrified)
She's a brain sucker?

GILES
She absorbs the energies that bind the human
mind into a cohesive whole. But once drained,
all that's left behind -

BUFFY
(getting it)
-- are crazy people.

GILES
I'm afraid that's why there's been a marked
increase in the ranks of the mentally disturbed
here in Sunnydale.

TARA
(haunted)
At least vampires just kill you.

BUFFY
We have to come up with something to stop her.

WILLOW
Tara and I could work on some tactical spells.
If she's not too punchable, maybe she's not
totally invulnerable to magic.

BUFFY
That's a start.

ANYA
I can help with the research. I know way more
about demon dimensions than Giles.
(off his look)
Well I do.

XANDER
This is all great long term plan-y stuff, but
what about this Key thingy Glory's looking for?

TARA
Yeah. Shouldn't we be trying to find it before
she does?

BUFFY
(evasive)
I don't think we have to worry about that.

WILLOW
They got a point. Whatever Glory's planning
on opening with the Key I'm guessing it won't
be filled with flowers and candy.

XANDER
So where should we start looking? Do we
know where it used to be kept? Who saw it last -

Buffy sees she has to say something here, or risk letting the Gang get hopelessly sidetracked.

BUFFY
We did. Giles and me. We know where it
is, so -

XANDER
You what?!

WILLOW
You know and you didn't tell us?

GILES
There were reasons.

BUFFY
If Glory found out you knew where it was -
I didn't want to put you in that kind of danger.

XANDER
As opposed to the other kind we're always in?
Glory's going nuts trying to get her hands on
the Key, and you've known where it is all along?

WILLOW
You should have told us.

BUFFY
Willow -

She pauses, coming to a decision.

BUFFY
You're right.
(soft, to Giles)
It's time.

GILES
Are you sure?

BUFFY
They're going to be risking their lives.
They deserve to know.

XANDER
Know what?

BUFFY
(steeling herself)
There's something I have to tell you.
About Dawn…

---

EXT. MAGIC BOX - DAY (DAY 2)

Willow and Tara are making runic symbols on the sidewalk around the perimeter of the Magic Box. Dawn bounces up with her backpack, fresh from school.

DAWN
Hey! You guys doin' a spell?

Willow and Tara are instantly awkward.

WILLOW
Dawn, hey. Yeah, it's an early warning
incantation. If anything Hellgod-ishly
powerful comes within a hundred feet of
the shop, screechy Siren things'll, you
know - screech.

TARA
That should give us enough of a heads up
to hide -
(catches herself)
-- the, uh, Key.

WILLOW
We already put one up around your house.

DAWN
Cool. Can I help?

Willow and Tara share an uncomfortable look.

WILLOW
I don't think Buffy would like the Black Arts
bumping auras with littlest Summers.

Dawn totally picks up on the weird vibe.

DAWN
Yeah, whatever.

She disappears into the Magic Box.

TARA
How can she not be real?

WILLOW
She's real. She's just kinda… new.

Willow finishes the last symbol, completing the circle around the shop. The circle flashes, disappears.

---

INT. BUFFY'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

TIGHT ON a stack of brightly wrapped presents.

BUFFY (O.S.)
Presents!

REVEAL the Gang gathered around the living room. Dawn is curled up with Joyce, a bit removed from the rest of the Scoobies. A festive banner reads HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Buffy beams at the sight of all her gifts.

WILLOW
See? Just what you needed.

BUFFY
You are very, very wise. Now gimmie
gimmie gimmie!

Buffy tears into a gift. Anya watches impatiently.

ANYA
This is extremely suspenseful.
(getting excited)
I want the presents!

Buffy pulls out her gift: a pretty and feminine dress.

BUFFY
Pretty! Thank you!

TARA
We thought you'd get a lot of crossbows
and other killy stuff.

WILLOW
So we figured, less killy, more frilly.

ANYA
It's lovely! I wish it was mine!
(off the looks)
Oh like you weren't all thinking the
same thing.

GILES
I'm fairly certain I wasn't.

Dawn thrusts a small, hastily wrapped gift at Buffy.

DAWN
Open mine.

BUFFY
(opening it)
It's not going to explode, is it -

It's a picture of her and Dawn laughing and hugging each other on the beach, in a frame adorned with seashells. It hits Buffy hard.

DAWN
It's when we visited Dad that summer in
San Diego. I put the shells on myself.
They're the ones we picked off the beach.

BUFFY
Yeah. I remember.

The room is deathly quiet. Dawn shifts uncomfortably, mistaking the atmosphere as everyone being overly touched.

DAWN
Jeez, don't get all Movie of the Week. I
was just too cheap to buy you a real present.

BUFFY
Thank you.

Buffy hugs her close.

---

INT. BUFFY'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINOUS - NIGHT

Birthday presents are strewn across the coffee table, some weapons, some clothes, a few books…

Willow and Tara are at the coffee table, cutting Buffy's birthday cake with a sharp, gleaming knife. Willow laughs, licks a bit of stray frosting from Tara's finger.

Dawn puts down the plates and keeps going, over to where Anya and Xander stand, laughing and whispering to each other. They see Dawn and immediately stop, both looking guilty.

DAWN
(frustrated)
Why does everybody start acting all weird
when I'm around?

XANDER
(startled)
Me? Me not weird.

DAWN
I'm not an idiot. I know you're talking
about me.

Xander and Anya exchange a look - they really weren't.

XANDER
No. no, we really weren't.

ANYA
We were talking about sex.

Buffy enters from the foyer with Giles and Joyce close behind.

DAWN
(to Joyce)
They were talking about me. Just like
everybody else is.

XANDER
Again, not so much. In fact, none.

ANYA
(to Joyce)
We were talking about sex. You know
us. Sometimes we pretend stuff -

JOYCE
Um…

XANDER
Anya…

ANYA
Like, say, there's a fireman? Or a
shepherd?

Buffy is conscious of Dawn's presence for this.

BUFFY
Okay, you know what? Let's not have this
exchange of images right now…

DAWN
Oh. Right. Of course. Can't let Dawn hear
anything. Fine. I'll just go to bed. That
way I won't accidently get exposed to,
like, words.

Dawn storms off up the stairs. The others look at each other, knowing they didn't handle that well.

WILLOW
(lamely)
Cake?

---

INT. BUFFY'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy, Joyce, and the Gang are still at the party, talking as a group.

WILLOW
(delicately)
Not even a card, huh?

BUFFY
I wasn't really expecting one. No contact
with civilians. I'm sure there's a code
name for it. Like "radio silence." It's
"greeting card silence."

WILLOW
Sorry.

BUFFY
Maybe it's time for a new tradition:
birthdays without boyfriends. It can
be just as fun.

WILLOW
Preaching to the choir, here, baby.

TARA
Yeah, some of my best -
(seeing something)
Oh God…

Others follow Tara's look. The room goes silent as the happy gives way to horror.

Dawn is standing on the other side of the room. She holds her hand out, blood dripping from a gash across her palm. The birthday cake knife she used to inflict the wound hangs limply in her other hand.

DAWN
(shell-shocked)
Is this blood?

JOYCE
Dawn!

Buffy rushes over and grabs the knife away.

BUFFY
What did you do?!

DAWN
It's blood, isn't it? It can't be me. I'm not
a Key. I'm not a thing…

Shock all around. Oh my god - she knows.

JOYCE
Sweetie, no, what is this all about…

Joyce struggles to find the words, but her face says it all. Dawn breaks down, sobbing.

DAWN
What am I? Am I real? Am I anything?

Joyce rushes to her, hugging her close, grabbing her hand to stop the bleeding. Joyce shares a devastated look with Buffy. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

---

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Buffy has assembled the Scoobies, including a reluctant Spike. She's barely keeping it together.

GILES
Willow's warning spell wasn't tripped?
You're sure?

BUFFY
It wasn't Glory. Dawn's been acting…
It hasn't been easy for her. She tore her
room up, burned all her diaries -

XANDER
The Dawnmeister Chronicles?

WILLOW
She's been keeping those since she was
- I mean…

BUFFY
Since she was seven. I remember too, Will.
(combat mode)
We have to find her, fast. Before Glory or the
Knights of Hack and Slash figure out what she
- who she really is. Mom's at the house in case
Dawn comes back there. The rest of us'll split
up and sweep the city. Spike, reach out to your
dank and darks, find out if they've seen -

SPIKE
I'd love to help, but -

BUFFY
I'll pay you. Just do it.

SPIKE
Chip in the head, sweetcheeks. Means I can't kill
anything but demons. They didn't exactly vote
me most popular this year.
(off their looks)
Well, a fellah's gotta kill something…

TARA
Maybe if we figure out where she'd run to…

WILLOW
Oh! The mall! She loves the mall.
(to Buffy)
I think she gets that from you.

GILES
The Bronze perhaps?

ANYA
Dog park! She's got a thing for the
Schnauzers! I remember -

XANDER
But none of those memories are real.

BUFFY
(brusquely)
They were to her. And to me.

XANDER
I'm just saying she might avoid the places
she remembers because of that.

BUFFY
Well, for now we have to assume…
(determined)
Anya, stay put in case she shows up here.
Giles, Xander - sweep the center of town.
Willow, Tara - west side. Spike, you're
with me on the east. We have to -

She falters, her emotions finally getting the better of her.

BUFFY
(soft)
Just find her. Please.

---

EXT. WOODS - NIGHT

Willow and Tara are searching the woods at the edge of town. Willow scans the night.

WILLOW
Maybe - maybe that way.

TARA
(gently)
We looked that way. And this way, and
the other way. She's not out here.

Willow sags, knowing she's right.

WILLOW
Where would you go? If you felt lost
and alone? Where would you go?

TARA
(a beat)
To you.

Willow takes Tara in her arms and hugs her tight.

---

Buffy pounds Glory like a hay thrasher set on puree.

ANGLE ON

Willow and Tara. They've positioned themselves on opposite sides of the room. Their eyes are closed as they quietly chant…

Buffy continues her assault. Glory latches onto her foot in mid kick. She admires Buffy's footwear.

GLORY
Hey, those are really nice shoes!

Buffy backflips, catching Glory a good one in the chin with her free foot. Buffy crashes to the floor.

BUFFY
Giles, now!

Giles fires his crossbow. KA-THUNK! The bolt slams into Glory's chest - and bounces off.

GLORY
Oh, please! Like that's gonna -

CLANG! Xander clocks her in the head with his crowbar. It does nothing to her.

GLORY
Hey! Watch the hair!

Glory yanks the crowbar hard, sending Xander sailing into Giles. She hefts the crowbar like a spear.

GLORY
Okay! Time to start the dyin'!

She hurls the crowbar at Dawn.

BUFFY
Dawn!

Buffy leaps in the way at the last second. KA-CHUNK! The crowbar pierces Buffy's shoulder. She goes down in agony. Dawn runs to her side.

DAWN
Buffy!

GLORY
Nice catch!

BUFFY
(to Dawn)
Get back!

Buffy yanks the crowbar out of her shoulder as Glory starts a fresh attack…

GLORY
Is that the best you little crap gnats could
muster? 'Cause I gotta tell you - so
not impressed.

Before Glory can reach Buffy, Willow and Tara suddenly spring into action, throwing colored dust at Glory from either side. It hits her and clings, staining her skin and clothes. She drops Buffy, livid.

GLORY
Look what you did to my dress, you little -

WILLOW
(Latin)
Discede!
(Be Gone)

Willow slams her hands together, activating her spell. Glory suddenly disintegrates. Willow collapses to the floor, her nose bleeding.

TARA
Willow!

Tara rushes over.

BUFFY
(stunned)
What did you do to her?

WILLOW
(weakly)
Teleportation spell… Still working out the
kinks…

BUFFY
Where did you send her?

WILLOW
Don't know. That's one of the kinks…

EXT. SKY - NIGHT

Glory starts to reform - half a mile above the ground.

GLORY
Oh sh -

Glory completely reforms, plummets.

---

INT. HOSPITAL X-RAY ROOM - NIGHT

The Gang is picking themselves off the floor, assessing the damage.

BUFFY
Dawn!

Buffy grabs her in a tight hug.

GILES
(helping Willow)
That's an incredibly dangerous spell for
an adept at your level.

WILLOW
(wiping blood from her nose)
Yep. Won't be trying that one again soon.