Transcriber's Notes:
*I do not own the characters or situations of BTVS, and I claim no credit for the content of this episode. I have merely transcribed what appeared on my screen, with help from the closed captions.
*I prefer that you link to this transcript on the Psyche site (www. psyche.kn-bremen.de) rather than post it on your site, but you can post it on your site if you really want, as long as you keep my name and email address on it. Please also keep my disclaimers intact.
*You can use my transcripts in your fanfiction stories; you don't have to ask my permission. (However, if you use large portions of episode dialogue in your fanfic, I recommend you give credit to the person who wrote the episode.)
*I apologize in advance for my lame transcription of the fight scenes. I don't know the names of different punches and kicks. Use your imagination.

Teaser
GILES VOICEOVER: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
Monks running in fear.
Monk talking to Buffy.
MONK: We had to hide the key ... made it human...
Monks chanting.
MONK: ...and sent it to you.
Dawn looking sullen.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: Dawn.
Glory talking to Dawn in "Checkpoint."
GLORY: Did you know your sister took my key, Dawnie? And she won't give it back! I bet you know where she put it, don't you?
BUFFY: She doesn't know anything.
Buffy kneeling on top of the knight (Orlando), pulling off his mask.
BUFFY: Okay, let's see who you are.
ORLANDO: The Knights of Byzantium, an ancient order. And now your enemy. So long as you protect the key, the brotherhood will never stop until we destroy it and you.
SPIKE: Look at you. All afraid I'm hot for your honey.
Spike in Buffy's darkened bedroom in "Into the Woods." Buffy asleep.
RILEY VOICEOVER: Because you are.
SPIKE: Well ... yeah.
Buffy in the magic shop in "Checkpoint."
BUFFY: Just tell me what kind of demon I'm fighting.
QUINTON TRAVERS: Glory isn't a demon.
BUFFY: What is she?
TRAVERS: She's a god.
Episode begins: Buffy sitting in the magic shop.
BUFFY: Look, I know Mom wants to gather and make with the merry tomorrow night, but with everything that's going on...

Willow walks up behind Buffy.

WILLOW: This is exactly what you need. (Sits next to Buffy. We see Tara sitting on Willow's other side) A 20th birthday party with, with, with presents, and funny hats, and, and those candles that don't blow out... (whispers to Tara) Those used to scare me.
TARA: Me too.
BUFFY: I just don't think this is the best time to break out the party pinata. We need to stay focused if we're gonna find a way to stop Glory.

We see Xander and Anya sitting on Buffy's other side.

XANDER: We're going up against a god. An actual mightier-than-thou god.
WILLOW: Well, you know what they say, the bigger they are-
ANYA: The faster they stomp you into nothing.

Everyone looks at her. We see Giles sitting between Buffy and Xander, looking through books and papers.

BUFFY: She's right. I've thrown everything I've got at her and she just shrugs it off.
WILLOW: Then we have to find something heavier to throw.
GILES: That might pose some difficulty. From what the Council's been able to discover from the book of Tarnis and, and, and other sources, Glory and two of her fellow hellgods ruled over ... one of the more seriously unpleasant demon dimensions.
TARA: There's more than one?
ANYA: Oh, there are thousands of demon dimensions. All different.
GILES: All pushing on the edges of our reality, trying to find a way in.
BUFFY: I guess Glory found one. The question is, why?
GILES: There's nothing to indicate that here. Just ... vague references to ... chaos and destruction. (Sound of teakettle whistling. Giles gets up to get it.)
BUFFY: Okay, so, we know where Glory's from. What do we know about her? You know, she's tough, yeah, but, but no bolts of lightning, no blasts of fire, shouldn't a god be able to do that kind of stuff?
GILES: (pouring tea) Uh, usually, yes, but um, being in human form must be severely limiting her powers. All we have to worry about right now is she's immortal, invulnerable, and insane.
XANDER: A *crazy* hellgod? And the fun just keeps on leaving.
GILES: From what I've been able to gather, her living in this world is ... seriously affecting her mental state as well. She's only being able to keep her mind intact by, uh, extracting energy from us. Well, from, from the human brain.
TARA: She, she, she's a brain-sucker? (Willow and Tara exchange a look)
GILES: She, um ... (leans over to read from book) "absorbs the energies that bind the human mind into a cohesive whole." Once drained, all that's left behind is, uh-
BUFFY: Crazy people.
GILES: (pouring more tea) Which is, I'm afraid, why there's been a marked increase in the ranks of the mentally unstable here in Sunnydale.
TARA: At least vampires just kill you.
BUFFY: (gets up) We have to find a way to stop her.
WILLOW: Oh, well, Tara and I can work on some tactical spells. (Giles hands Buffy a cup of tea)
ANYA: I can do some research. I know *way* more about demon dimensions than Giles does. (Giles frowns) Well, I do.
XANDER: This is great long-term plan-y stuff, but what about this ... key thingy Glory's looking for?

Buffy and Giles both standing, sipping tea, exchanging a look.

TARA: (OS) Yeah, I mean, shouldn't we be trying to find it before she does?
BUFFY: I don't think that's what we should be worrying about right now. (Giles sits)
WILLOW: They've got a point. Whatever Glory's planning on opening with the key, I'm guessing it won't be filled with candy and flowers.
XANDER: So where should we start looking? Do we know where it used to be kept? Who saw it last?
BUFFY: We did. Giles and me. We, we know where it is.
XANDER: You what?
WILLOW: You know, and you didn't tell us?
GILES: There were ... reasons.
BUFFY: Look, i-if Glory knew that you guys knew where it was, I ... (sits) I-I just didn't wanna put you in that kind of danger.
XANDER: (annoyed) As opposed to the other kind we're always in?
WILLOW: You should have said something.
BUFFY: Will, there- (pauses) You're right. (to Giles) It's time.
GILES: Are you sure?
BUFFY: If they're gonna be risking their lives, they deserve to know.
XANDER: Know what?

Buffy looks at her friends. They look at her.

BUFFY: There's something that you need to know ... about Dawn.

Cut to: graveyard, night. The knight from "Checkpoint" (Orlando) holding a sword.
ORLANDO: The link must be severed. Such is the will of God.

We see two other knights standing with him, also holding swords. They all chant in unison.

KNIGHTS: The key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God. The key is the link. The link must be severed. Such is the will of God.
JINX: You really think *he* is going to help you?

The knights draw their swords and turn to see Jinx, Dreg, and another demon who looks like them, each holding an axe.
JINX: I fear your faith is gravely misplaced.

The demons attack. The fight is brief; two of the demons are defeated. Only Jinx is left. He cowers and tries to back away as Orlando advances, but Jinx trips over something and falls on his butt. Orlando stands over him and lifts his sword high.

ORLANDO: Shall we test your faith now?

He starts to stab downward. Jinx cringes. A hand appears and grabs the sword's blade.

GLORY: Never send a minion to do a god's work.

She backhands Orlando, who goes flying backward, losing his grip on the sword. He crawls toward it on the ground as Glory beats up the other two knights. She stabs one knight with his own sword, then uses it to kill the other as well. She drops the sword and walks toward where Orlando is still trying to reach his sword.

GLORY: Hey, nice sword. (Picks it up and points it at his face) Bet it hurts.

Wolf howl. Opening credits.

Guest starring Clare Kramer, Charlie Weber, Troy T. Blendell, Amber Benson as Tara, and Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers. Written by Steven S. DeKnight, directed by Michael Gershman.

Act I

Fade in on Willow and Tara outside the magic shop, daylight. They are drawing symbols on the ground with colored sand. Dawn walks up.
DAWN: You guys doin' a spell?
WILLOW: Dawn, hey. Y-yeah, we're doing an early warning incantation. If anything hellgodishly powerful comes within a hundred feet of the shop, then screechy siren things will, you know, screech.
TARA: This should give us a heads-up so we can hide ... the, um, key.
WILLOW: We already put one up around your house.
DAWN: Cool, can I help?

Willow and Tara exchange a look.

WILLOW: Well, I don't think Buffy would like the, uh, black arts bumpin' auras with the littlest Summers.
DAWN: (nods resignedly) Yeah, whatever. (Goes into the shop)
TARA: (quietly) How can she not be real?
WILLOW: She's real, she's just ... kinda ... new.

Willow throws a last handful of dust down; the symbols all flash brightly and disappear.

Cut to inside magic shop. Dawn enters. Anya is dusting something while Xander sits at the table reading.
DAWN: Hey. We on the case?
XANDER: Yeah. Right on top, perched, ready for action. (Anya looks uncomfortable) How's my sweet fancy Dawn doing?

Xander reaches over to tickle Dawn's stomach. She giggles and tries to fight him off.

DAWN: (laughing) Fine. What's up with you? (Xander stops tickling) Did you get into the sugar again?
ANYA: (loud fake cheerful tone) You make a very pretty little girl!

Xander jumps up.

XANDER: (same fake tone) Anya, you wanna help me with that thing?
ANYA: (same fake tone, with fake smile and fake laugh) Xander needs help with his thing!

They walk off. Dawn looks annoyed.

GILES: I'm not sure our regular workout is ... challenging you any more. Perhaps we should make it harder.

Giles and Buffy walk in from the back room. Buffy holds a bottle of water. Giles is writing in a small book.

BUFFY: You always think harder is better. Maybe next time I patrol I should carry a load of bricks, use a stake made of butter.
GILES: Very amusing.

They walk over to the counter, where Dawn is standing, with a notebook lying open on the counter. Giles puts his book down on the counter also.

GILES: I'm sure Dawn feels that way about her schoolwork sometimes.
BUFFY: That true? How was school today?
DAWN: Um, the usual. Big square building filled with boredom and despair.
BUFFY: (OS) Just how I remember it.

Giles closes his book, slides it off the counter and out of sight.

BUFFY: So, what's the homework sitch?
DAWN: We have to imagine what we'll be like ten years from now and write a letter to our future self. The teacher's clearly so out of ideas. (Giles closes a drawer behind the counter) Wanna help?
BUFFY: Maybe later. I have some stuff I have to do first.

Giles moves his hands away from the drawer. Dawn looks over at him, then back at Buffy.

DAWN: Is it about that weird girl that came to the house?
BUFFY: Glory. And no it's not.
DAWN: Like you'd tell me anyway. Dawn's too young and Dawn's too delicate.
BUFFY: Right. A young delicate pain in my butt.
DAWN: I just think you're freakin' out 'cause you have to fight someone prettier than you. That is the case, right?

Buffy walks closer to her.

BUFFY: (softly) Glory is evil. And powerful. (normal tone) And in no way prettier than me.
DAWN: I just think you're getting soft in your advanced age. She didn't look that tough to me. (Smirks)

Cut to: Glory in her apartment, talking to Orlando. His face is bloody.
GLORY: Okay. One more time. (circles around behind him) Just between me and you. Our itsy-bitsy little secret. (comes back to the front, grabs his face) Where ... is ... the key?
ORLANDO: Even if I knew, I'd die a thousand deaths before I'd tell you.
GLORY: (annoyed) Well, you won't need a thousand, sweetie. (pats his cheek, turns away) I'll make the first one last. Long time.

She walks a few steps away. She's holding his sword. She turns back and shakes her head.

GLORY: What is it with you religious types? (gasps, smiles. Throws the sword aside and goes back to him) It's intimacy, isn't it?

She grabs his face, runs her hands down his chest.

GLORY: Oh! You're just scared of letting someone in! (circles around him, hugging him and rubbing his chest) Shh, shh, shh. It's okay. I know how difficult the first time can be. You don't have to be afraid. (gets back to the front, puts her face right next to his) Just relax. You may not have the info I want ... but you still got something I need.

She slides her fingers into his head. Light streams out of the holes. Orlando screams.

Cut to: huge pile of brightly wrapped gifts.
BUFFY VOICEOVER: Prezzies!

Pull out to reveal the Summers living room. Joyce and Dawn on one couch, Buffy on the other, on either side of the coffee-table laden with presents. Xander, Giles, Tara, Anya, and Willow stand around. Tara and Xander hold gifts. Willow wears a party hat and holds a bottle of bubble-blowing liquid.

WILLOW: See, just what you needed. (Blows bubbles)
BUFFY: You are very, very wise. Now gimme, gimme, gimme! (Tara hands her a gift. Buffy begins ripping off the paper.)
ANYA: This is extremely suspenseful! I want the presents.

Buffy pulls out a dress.

BUFFY: Ohh ... it's beautiful. Thank you, guys.
TARA: Well, we thought you'd get lots of crossbows, other killy stuff.
WILLOW: Yeah, so we figured, less killy, more frilly.
ANYA: Gotta look. (Grabs the dress from Buffy) Oh, it's just so lovely! Oh, I wish it was mine!

Everyone gives her a look.

ANYA: (quietly) Oh, like you weren't all thinking the same thing. (puts the dress down)
GILES: I'm fairly certain I wasn't. (whispers to Xander) I've got one just like it.
DAWN: (gets up) Here. Open mine. (Gives gift to Buffy)
BUFFY: It's not gonna explode, is it?

She opens it and removes a photo of herself and Dawn, in a frame covered with seashells.

DAWN: It's when we visited Dad that summer in San Diego. (Buffy staring at it) Um, I put the shells on it myself. We picked them off the beach.
BUFFY: (softly) I remember.

Joyce smiles. Everyone else looks thoughtful. Dawn looks uncomfortable.

DAWN: Well, geez, don't get all movie-of-the-week. I was just too cheap to buy a real present.
BUFFY: Thank you.

Buffy gets up and hugs Dawn. Buffy and Joyce exchange a look over Dawn's shoulder.

Cut to later. Joyce, Buffy, and Giles in the kitchen. Giles pouring a glass of wine. Buffy pouring a glass of water from a pitcher.
JOYCE: It still seems to me like there's a lot you don't know about this. I mean, is she dangerous?
BUFFY: No.
GILES: Well, now, wait just a second. (Camera pans across to the doorway. We see Dawn in the dining room, looking down the hallway, listening in.) I assume you're talking about her existence rather than her intentions.

Buffy looks down the hall, sees Dawn.

JOYCE: Exactly.
BUFFY: (calls) Dawn? What are you doing in there? Party gettin' slow?
DAWN: Uh, (picks up a stack of plates from dining-room table) we need plates. Cake time.
She walks off. Buffy smiles nervously.

Cut to living room. Tara and Willow are preparing the cake. Xander and Anya stand in the doorway kissing. As Dawn walks in, Anya pushes Xander away; Willow and Tara stop what they're doing. Dawn puts plates on the table next to the cake, smiling. She stops smiling when she sees Tara's face, then turns around to look at Xander and Anya.
DAWN: Why does everybody start acting all weird when I'm around?
XANDER: Me? Me not weird.

Tara looks worried. Willow licks frosting off a birthday-cake candle.

DAWN: I'm not an idiot. I know you're talking about me.
XANDER: No, no, we really weren't.
ANYA: (fake voice) We were talking about sex.

Buffy, Joyce, and Giles enter.

DAWN: (to Joyce) They were talking about me, just like everybody is.
XANDER: Again, not so much. In fact, none.
ANYA: We were talking about sex. I mean, you know us, sometimes we like to pretend stuff-
JOYCE: Um...
XANDER: Anya!
ANYA: You know, like, say there's a fireman, or a shepherd-
BUFFY: You know what? Let's not have this exchange of images right now.
DAWN: Oh. Right. Of course. Can't let Dawn hear anything. (angry) Fine. I'm just gonna go to bed. That way I won't accidentally get exposed to, like, words.

She storms out. Everyone looks unhappy.
WILLOW: (holds up a piece of cake on a plate) Cake?

Cut to: Dawn storming into her bedroom, slamming the door. She leans against the wall and looks sullen.

Cut to: exterior of the house. Dawn climbs out her window and down the trellis, climbs from the trellis onto the back porch. The curtains are drawn; we can see the shadows of the others moving inside the house. Dawn goes down the back stairs, watching the windows, and turns around to find Spike standing right behind her. He has something under his arm and a cigarette in his mouth. Dawn gives a little yelp of surprise.

DAWN: Geez! Lurk much?
SPIKE: I wasn't lurking. I was standing about. It's a whole different vibe.
DAWN: What is- (looks at the thing under his arm. Folds her arms and smirks) Are you giving Buffy a birthday present? (Spike looks at the box) Oh my god. Weird. And chocolates? Lame. And the box is all bent, and, well, you know she'd never touch anything from you anyway.
SPIKE: (leans closer to her, speaks menacingly) Shouldn't you be tucked away in your beddy-bye? All warm and safe where nothing can eat you?
DAWN: (giggles) Is that supposed to scare me?
SPIKE: (sighs, leans back) Little tremble wouldn't hurt.
DAWN: Sorry, it's just ... come on. *I'm* badder than you.
SPIKE: (insulted) Are not!
DAWN: Am too. You're standing in the bushes hugging a bent box of chocolates, and I'm-
SPIKE: What? Sneaking out to braid hair and watch Teletubbies with your mates?
DAWN: No. (softly, looking back at the house) I'm breaking into the magic shop ... (boastfully) to steal things.
SPIKE: (frowns) Magic shop, eh? (looks over his shoulder; thoughtfully) All number of beasties between here and there. (Dawn looks a little nervous) Bet they'd really go for a little red riding hood like you. Bet that wouldn't sit too well with big sister.
DAWN: (uncertain) I can take care of myself.

Spike just looks at her. She looks around, anxious.

DAWN: You wanna come steal some stuff?
SPIKE: Yeah, all right.
Dawn nods. They walk off.

Cut to: exterior magic shop, night. Dawn stands by the door holding the chocolates while Spike kneels, trying to pick the lock.
DAWN: Do you know how to do that or not?
SPIKE: Give us a sec. I usually just (gestures) burst through doors.

The door finally opens.
SPIKE: That's right! (Stands up, gives Dawn his best smug smirk) Who's bad now?

They enter.

SPIKE: Girl with a mission, eh? (Dawn turns on a flashlight) What's the caper? Jewels? Ancient artifacts? Or just plain hard cash liberated from the till?
DAWN: A book.
SPIKE: All this for a book?

Dawn walks confidently to the counter, puts down the chocolates and goes behind the counter.

DAWN: I don't want the book. Just what's inside. I think it was Giles' notes. (Shines the flashlight around as Spike examines the stuff on the counter) He was standing here, and when I turned around it was gone.

She begins feeling under the counter. Spike takes something off the counter and puts it in his pocket.

Dawn finds the hidden drawer and pulls it open, revealing the book. She smiles in triumph.

Cut to later.
SPIKE: Where did he learn to write so bloody small, from a fruit fly?

We see Dawn and Spike sitting on the floor, three candles lit in front of them. Dawn reading the book. Spike's cigarette is mostly ash.

DAWN: Wait, here's something. Uh, "Tarnis, 12th century. One of the founders of the monks of the order of Dagon." (Spike stands up) "Their sole purpose appears to have been as protectors of the key."
SPIKE: (scoffs) Brown-robe types are always protecting something. It's the only way they can justify giving up girls. (He looks around, spots Olaf's hammer from "Triangle" in a display case) Hey! Troll hammer.

Spike tries to pick it up but it's too heavy. It falls to the floor with a clang. He glances over to see if Dawn noticed. She has her back to him.

SPIKE: Didn't go with my stuff anyway.

He continues looking around at the shelves, looking bored, as Dawn reads.

DAWN: "The key is not directly described in any known literature, but all research indicates an energy matrix vibrating at a dimensional frequency beyond normal human perception. Only those outside reality can see the key's true nature." (shakes head) Outside reality. What's that mean?
SPIKE: Mm. Second-sight blokes, mostly. (Puts out his cigarette in an item on the shelf) Or even just your run-of-the-mill lunatics.
He resumes his seat beside Dawn as she begins to get an expression of revelation.

Flash to hospital in "Listening to Fear."
CRAZY SECURITY GUARD: There! (points at a scared Dawn) There's no one in there.
Flash to outside magic shop in "The Real Me."
CRAZY GUY: I know what you are.

Back to Dawn looking thoughtful.

SPIKE: What else does it say about this key? Is it made out of gold? Maybe we can hock it, split the take.
DAWN: Um, (reads) "The key is also susceptible to necromanced animal detection, particularly those of canine or serpent construct."

Flash to the snake creature slithering across the floor in "Shadow." Dawn screaming as it rears up above her. The creature's eyes flashing red.

Back to Dawn holding the book, pondering. Spike reaches over and takes the book from her.

SPIKE: (frowns at book) "The monks possessed the ability to transform energy, bend reality." Blah, blah, blah. (looks at Dawn) Good lord, Giles writes as dull as he talks, doesn't he? (back to book) "They started work. But the Council ... has suggested ... to us that they were interrupted. Presumably by ... Glory." (Dawn continues staring into the distance as she listens) "They obviously did manage to accomplish the taste..." (looks closer) "accomplish the task. They had to be certain the Slayer would protect it with her life. So they sent the key to her ... in human form. In the form of a sister."

Zoom in on Dawn's shocked expression.
Spike frowns, looks over at her.

SPIKE: Huh! I guess that's you, nibblet.

Shot of Dawn continuing to react. Blackout.

Act II

Exterior shot of the Summers house, night.

Cut to inside. Willow and Tara on a sofa, facing Buffy in an armchair.
WILLOW: Not even a card, huh?
BUFFY: I wasn't really expecting one. No contact with civilians. There's probably a ... code name for it. You know, like radio silence, it's "greeting card silence."
WILLOW: Sorry.
BUFFY: Maybe it's time to start a new tradition. Birthdays without boyfriends. It could be just as much fun.
WILLOW: Preaching to the choir here, baby. (smiles at Tara)
TARA: Yeah, some of my best- (sees something across the room) Oh-oh my god.

Buffy turns to look behind her, gets up.

We see Dawn standing in the doorway. A large knife in one hand, blood running down her other arm from a wound across the inner forearm.
DAWN: (dazed) Is this blood?

We see Joyce and Giles across the room, turning to look.
BUFFY: Dawn!
JOYCE: Oh, baby.

Buffy and Joyce rush over to Dawn.

BUFFY: What did you do?!
DAWN: This is blood, isn't it? It can't be me. I'm not a key. (Buffy looks shocked) I'm not a thing.
JOYCE: Oh, sweetie, no. Wha-what is this all about?
DAWN: (grimly) What am I? (getting teary) Am I real? Am I anything?
She begins to cry. Joyce hugs her. Buffy watches grimly, also a little teary-eyed.

Cut to: Buffy seeing the others out.
WILLOW: If you need anything-
BUFFY: Thanks.

Willow hugs Buffy and leaves. Giles walks up to the door.

GILES: Perhaps I should stay, you know, just in case.
BUFFY: This is a family thing. We should deal with this.
GILES: Okay.
Giles leaves. Buffy closes the door behind him.

Cut to: Dawn sitting on her bed. Joyce sits at the foot of the bed. Buffy enters.

DAWN: (softly, not looking up) Why didn't you tell me?

Joyce looks at Buffy.

BUFFY: We were going to. It just... (trails off. Dawn gives her an angry look)
JOYCE: We thought it would be better if we waited until you were older.
DAWN: How old am I now?
JOYCE: You're fourteen, sweetheart, you know that.
DAWN: No. The monks. When did ... when did they ... (trails off)
BUFFY: Six months ago.
DAWN: (trying to hold back tears) I've only been alive for six months, huh?
JOYCE: Honey, you've been alive a lot longer than that to us.
DAWN: You don't know that! You don't know anything. I'm, I'm just a key, right? Everything about me is made up.
BUFFY: Dawn ... (sits on the bed next to Dawn) Mom and I know what we feel. I know I care about you. I know that I worry about you-
DAWN: You worry about me because you have to. I'm your job. Protect the key, right?
BUFFY: I worry because my sister is cutting herself!
DAWN: Yeah? How do you know? Maybe this is just another fake memory from my fake family.
JOYCE: Sweetheart-
DAWN: Get out.
BUFFY: Dawn...
DAWN: Get out, get out, get out!

Her voice rises to a shriek on the last two words. Joyce and Buffy get up to leave. Dawn lies down on the bed, curls up hugging a stuffed animal.

Cut to magic shop, day.
BUFFY: We need answers, Giles.

Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles move across the room toward the counter. Giles goes behind the counter, where Anya is already moving around looking at stuff.

BUFFY: We need to find out everything we can about the key. What's it for, who created it.
XANDER: And why Glory has a big girl-god jones for it.
BUFFY: This isn't about her. It's about Dawn. She deserves to know where she came from. She needs to know. Or it's just gonna eat away at her.
GILES: (looking at his notebook and papers on the counter) How did she find these? How did she get in here?
ANYA: (turns away from the back shelves, holding an item) Ew! Who's been using the urn of Ishtar as an ashtray? (takes out a cigarette butt)

Willow looks thoughtful. Shot of Buffy as the realization hits her.

Cut to: Buffy bursting into Spike's crypt. Spike is sitting atop one of the coffins, painting his fingernails.
SPIKE: Morning, sunshine. If you've come around for eggs or sausage, I'm fresh out.

Buffy grabs the lid of the coffin and pulls it out from under Spike so that he tumbles backward into the coffin. He sits up.
SPIKE: Hey, careful! These are wet. (Holds up his hand)

Buffy slides the lid back onto the coffin so that it slams into Spike's chest, pinning him against the opposite side of the coffin.

BUFFY: How could you let her find out like that? From books and papers? You hate me that much?
SPIKE: I was just along for the ride. Not like I knew she was mystical glowy key thing. Nobody keeps me in the bloody loop, do they?
BUFFY: (bangs the lid, steps back) You could have stopped her.
SPIKE: Oh, yeah, here it comes. Something goes wrong in your life, blame Spike. News flash, blondie. (Heaves the lid up off of him, tossing it aside) If kid sis wants to grab a midnight stroll, she'll find a way sooner or later. I just thought she'd be safer with big bad looking over her shoulder.
BUFFY: (glares at him silently for a moment) She shouldn't have found out like that.
SPIKE: You didn't think you could keep the truth from her forever, did you? (angrily) Maybe if *you* had been more honest with her in the first place, you wouldn't be trying to make yourself feel better with a round of Kick The Spike.

Buffy turns and storms out, slamming the door. Spike sighs and shakes his head.

Cut to: Joyce knocking on Dawn's door, entering. Dawn still lying on her side on the bed, with her back to the door.
JOYCE: Honey? You're gonna be late for school.
DAWN: I'm not going. Blobs of energy don't need an education.
JOYCE: You want me to make you some soup? (sits on the bed) I think there's some chicken and stars...
DAWN: I'm not sick! (quieter) I'm not anything.
JOYCE: Honey, calm down, okay... (puts hand on Dawn's back)
DAWN: (faces her) Don't tell me what to do. (pause) You're not my mother.

Joyce looks hurt.

Dawn lies back down for a moment, then gets up.
DAWN: I changed my mind. I'd rather be at school. (Grabs her backpack and leaves)

Cut to: Exterior hospital, day.
Cut to: interior, mental ward. Ben enters carrying a tray with a bunch of cups of Jello on it.
BEN: All right, fellas, today we've got blues, greens, and... (looks at tray) oh, hey, chartreuse. It's a party.
ORLANDO: It won't stick. The birds have been pecking too hard. (laughing)

Ben looks over and sees Orlando strapped down in one of the beds.

BEN: Byzantium.
JINX: Yes, they've arrived. (We see Jinx standing in the corner. He walks over to stand beside the knight's bed) Unfortunate, but not completely unexpected.
BEN: How many?
JINX: Their numbers are few for the moment, but they will grow. (Ben puts down the tray) The Knights of Byzantium are like ants. First you see one, then two, then the picnic's ruined. No matter how many we kill, they'll keep coming ... wave after wave. (walks over to Ben) It's time to set old animosities aside. Your fate is directly linked to her magnificently-scented Glorificus. She's been extremely forgiving of your considerable foibles up until now, but if you persist in your defiance, she'll be forced to-
BEN: To what? What is she going to do? Send a six-pack of minions to bore me to death? Glory can't lay a finger on me. You know it, I know it, she knows it. So save the threats, or I'll finish the job I started on your head.

He shoves past Jinx and exits.

Cut to: Exterior of the Summers house, night.

Cut to: Dawn in her bedroom looking through her diaries. She has a bunch of them, of different sizes, shapes, covers, etc. She clutches one to her chin and looks pensive.

Cut to: Buffy and Joyce in the living room. They sit side-by-side on the sofa.
JOYCE: We can't just let her sit up there all alone.
BUFFY: She needs time. We can't force her to be all right with this.
JOYCE: That's your answer? Just ... leave her alone and hope that everything works itself out?
BUFFY: No, but if I were her, I'd want a little bit of time right now. I wouldn't want my mother and my sister coming at me from all sides.
JOYCE: Her school called today. She was suspended.

We see Dawn on the stairway above, listening.

JOYCE: (OS) She yelled at a teacher. The things she said, Buffy, I mean she never used language like that
BUFFY: (OS) She probably feels like she can say or do anything right now. She's not real. We're not her family, we don't even know what she is.

Dawn looks shocked.

Cut to: Dawn storming back into her room, crying. She slams the door, looks around, and begins to trash her room, shrieking. She shoves stuff off the desk, shoves books off the shelves, tears posters off the walls. She picks up one of her diaries and flips through it, then begins to tear out pages, throws them in the wastebasket, then throws the whole book in. Extended sequence of Dawn ripping pages out of diaries, throwing the pages and the diaries into the wastebasket.

Cut back to living room. Joyce jumps up, staring at Buffy in horror.
JOYCE: How can you talk about Dawn as if she's a thing?
BUFFY: I'm not! I'm just ... saying that's probably how she feels.
JOYCE: Well, then we have to show her that it isn't true. She needs to know that she's still a part of this family and that we love her.
BUFFY: It's not that simple! We're not gonna be able to fix this with a hug and a kiss and a bowl of soup! Dawn needs to know where she came from, she needs real answers.
JOYCE: (sits) What she needs is her sister, Buffy, not the Slayer.
BUFFY: The Slayer is the only thing standing between Dawn ... and this god from the bitch dimension that wants to shove her in some kind of lock and give her a good twirl. Mom, I need to be out there, doing my job-

A shrill beeping noise begins. They both jump up.

BUFFY: Oh my god, Glory. It's Willow's spell. (Runs toward stairs)
JOYCE: (following) Wait. It's not Glory.

Cut to: Buffy kicking down Dawn's door, rushing in followed by Joyce. The beeping continues.
BUFFY: Damn it.

We see the wastebasket on fire. Buffy grabs a blanket from the bed and tosses it over the flames to put them out.

BUFFY: Dawn!
JOYCE: (looking at something across the room) Buffy.
BUFFY: No. No, she could have burned the house down.
JOYCE: Buffy ... she's gone.

Buffy looks in the direction Joyce is looking. Shot of the open window. The alarm continues beeping. Blackout.

Act III

Fade in on magic shop, night.
BUFFY: She tore up her room ... she burned all of her diaries. (Moves across the screen to sit in a chair by the table)
XANDER: The Dawnmeister Chronicles?

Pan across Xander to find Willow and Tara sitting beside the counter. Giles and Anya behind it. Giles hands Willow a cup of tea.

WILLOW: She's been keeping those since ... (pauses, looks confused) I mean...
BUFFY: Since she was seven. I remember too, Will. (We see Spike standing in the background behind Buffy) We have to find her. Fast. Before Glory or the knights of hack-n-slash figure out what - *who* she really is. Mom's gonna stay at home in case she shows up. I figure we split up and sweep the city. (stands) Anya. Will you stay here in case she shows up? Xander, Giles, you guys take the center of town. Willow, Tara, west side. Spike, you and I'll get the east side.

Everyone gets up to leave. Spike moves forward to stand beside Buffy.

BUFFY: (softly) Just find her ... please.

Cut to: Dawn walking through a playground, night. She looks over at a swing-set.

Flash to a bright sunny day, small girl with Dawn's hair on the swing, bigger girl with Buffy's hair pushing her. (We only see them from the back.)
YOUNG DAWN: Bet you can't push me all the way around!
YOUNG BUFFY: Oh yes I can!
YOUNG DAWN: No you can't!

Flash back to today, the swing-set dark and empty. Dawn looks sad, tears on her face. She turns and walks away.

Cut to: Xander and Giles walking through alleys in Sunnydale, night. Giles pokes around looking behind things, inside dumpsters, etc.
XANDER: There's so many things I remember. Seeing Dawn ... hanging with her ... listening to Buffy complain about her. Mostly that last one. How could it be that all those things never really happened?
GILES: Well, it takes some getting used to. The idea of a ... bright fourteen-year-old actually being living energy thousands of years old.

They continue walking, looking around.

XANDER: I'm guessing some kind of super-powerful in her raw form.
GILES: People have killed, died for it ... summoned armies to control the key.
XANDER: You know, uh ... she kinda has a crush on me.
GILES: Your point being?
XANDER: (stops walking) Well nothing, no, uh ... just saying, powerful being ... big energy gal digging the Xan-man. (Grins. Giles frowns at him) Some guys are just cooler, you know?

Giles turns and walks away, rolling his eyes. Xander follows.

Cut to: Buffy and Spike walking through the playground, night.
BUFFY: (calls) Dawn! Dawn!
SPIKE: Yeah, that should do it.
BUFFY: Shut up.
SPIKE: The nibblet scampered off to get away from you. She hears you bellowing, she's gonna pack it in the opposite direction. (they stop walking) Can't say I blame her. (looking around)
BUFFY: (quietly, staring at the ground) You were right. (Spike looks surprised) This is my fault. I should have told her.
SPIKE: (sighs) Look, she probably would have skipped off anyway, even if she never found out. She's not just a blob of energy, she's also a fourteen-year-old hormone bomb. (sighs) Which one's screwing her up more right now, spin the bloody wheel. (shrugs) You'll find her, just in the nick of time, that's what you hero types do.

Buffy gives him a hopeful look.

SPIKE: (firmly) You'll find her.
BUFFY: (quietly) And then what?

Cut to: Dawn walking down a street. She steps aside as an ambulance goes past, siren wailing, lights flashing. She stares after it.

Cut to: Exterior hospital, night. We see the emergency room door, ambulance parked next to it, people running inside with a patient on a gurney.
Cut to: Dawn entering the hospital. She goes down a hall, looks around to make sure no one's watching, then slips though a door.

Cut to: Dawn entering the mental ward. All the patients begin to mutter nervously as she enters.
PATIENT 1: It's here. It's here. It's here.
PATIENT 2: Can't stop.
PATIENT 1: It's here. It's here. (repeats over and over)
PATIENT 2: Make it stop. The skin's too tight.
PATIENT 1: (lifts his head to look at Dawn) Can't hear it. What's the frequency? Empty. All spilled out.
DAWN: (goes over to Patient 1's bed) Please. Y-you see me, right? Look at me.

Patient 1 stares at her, very fearful.

PATIENT 2: Can't stop it!
DAWN: You know what I am, don't you? You all know!
PATIENT 1: (stares at ceiling) Can't hear it, can't hear it, can't hear it (repeats over and over)
DAWN: Tell me!
PATIENT 1: Can't hear it, can't hear it ... (repeats)
DAWN: What am I?
ORLANDO: The key.

Dawn whips her head around to look at Orlando.

ORLANDO: I found it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
DAWN: (rushes over to him) You know what the key is? (He stares at the ceiling still repeating "Thank you") Where did I come from? Who made me, wha-what am I?
ORLANDO: Thank you, thank you...
DAWN: Please!
ORLANDO: (suddenly jerks his head up and yells) Destroyer! (Dawn jumps back) Cracked ... bones ... the sun bleeding into the sky! The key is the link.
DAWN: (shakes her head, backing away) No, no.
ORLANDO: The link must be severed. Such is the will of God. Such is the will of God. Such is the will of God. (repeats)

He continues repeating this phrase as Dawn backs away, then turns and runs away.

ORLANDO: Such is the will of God.
PATIENT 1: Can't hear it.

Orlando continues repeating his phrase and Patient 1 repeats his, as the other madmen mutter also, getting louder and louder. Dawn runs to the door, pulls it open and finds Ben on the other side. He looks at her in surprise.

Cut to: hospital locker room. Dawn sits at a small table. Ben walks over carrying two cups, which he puts on the table.
BEN: Two steaming cups of chocolate goodness courtesy of ... whoever I swiped it from out of the cupboard. (sits) Couldn't find any marshmallows. I'll try to steal some for next time.
DAWN: Don't like 'em anyway.
BEN: What? Is that even possible?
DAWN: Too squishy. When I was five, Buffy told me they were monkey brains, and I- (stops)
BEN: Dawn, was your mom brought back in? Is that why you're here?
DAWN: No. (bitterly) My *mom*'s just fine.
BEN: (puzzled) Is there anybody I can call? Your sister?
DAWN: I don't have a sister.
BEN: Oh ... you two have a fight? It's okay, I know how that goes. I got a sister too. They can be a real pain sometimes. (Dawn nods) I tell you, there've been a lot of nights I wish she didn't exist either.
DAWN: It's not Buffy. It's me. I'm the one that doesn't exist. (sighs)
BEN: Look, I know it can feel that way sometimes, but when you're older-
DAWN: No, you don't understand. It's not real. None of this. (indicating her body) They made it.
BEN: Dawn-
DAWN: I'm nothing! I'm just a thing the monks made so Glory couldn't find me. I'm not real.

Ben looks extremely shocked and fearful. He gets to his feet.

BEN: (gets up) You're the key?
DAWN: How do you know about the key?
BEN: Go! Before she finds you. Don't ask me how she knows, 'cause she always knows. Just go.
DAWN: Wait! Calm down, just tell me-
BEN: (agitated) You don't understand, you're a kid. (Dawn gets up) You stay, she'll find you. She finds you, she'll hurt you.
DAWN: What's wrong with you?
BEN: You're what she's been searching for. I am telling you, run. You don't know, you - (looks around nervously) Oh god. Oh god no, she's coming. (Dawn looks frightened) I can feel it, you've gotta get out. No ... oh no, she's here!

He grabs Dawn by the arms. She screams.

BEN: She's here!

In the middle of "She's here," Ben morphs into Glory. Dawn gasps and stares at her in shock. Glory looks confused.

GLORY: Hey, don't I know you?
Blackout.

Act IV

Fade back in on the hospital. Dawn is sitting in the chair again.
GLORY: (OS) Ugh, cotton!

We see Glory standing by the lockers, taking off Ben's hospital scrubs (her back to the camera).

GLORY: Could a fabric be more annoyingly pedestrian? (reaches into a locker) Now *this* is what I'm talkin' about. (Pulls out a red silk blouse and slides it over her head, smiling) Makes your skin sing.
DAWN: You're-you're Ben...
GLORY: (fastening the blouse behind her) Uh, it's an eensy more complicated than that. Family always is, isn't it?

Dawn looks anxiously toward the door.

GLORY: (still with her back to Dawn) You'd never make it. I'd rip out your spine before you got half a step. And those little legs? (smiles over her shoulder at Dawn) They wouldn't be much good without one of those.

Suddenly Glory is right next to Dawn, bending over with her hands on her knees so that her face is at Dawn's level.
GLORY: Would they, Dawnie?

Dawn looks alarmed.

GLORY: Now. What I'm trying to noodle, is what in the world was the Slayer's little sis doing here with gentle Ben?
DAWN: Y-you don't remember?
GLORY: Remember what? (brushes hair off Dawn's shoulders) You were talking to him, not me. (gasps, grabs Dawn's chin) Oh, he wasn't being naughty, was he?

A hospital guard enters.

GUARD: Excuse me, ma'am. This area's for hospital personnel-

Glory turns around, grabs his head and twists it, breaking his neck. He falls to the floor. Dawn gasps. Glory turns back to Dawn and leans down again.

GLORY: Rude! I was talking! (sighs) What do you say ... (pulls Dawn to her feet) we find a nice place off the beaten (grabs Dawn by the front of her blouse, spins her around) where you and I can have a long uninterrupted chat.

Glory pushes a very scared Dawn around in front of her.

Cut to: graveyard, night. Buffy and Spike walk up and encounter Willow and Tara.
WILLOW: We looked, but no Dawn.

Giles and Xander approach.

BUFFY: What about the carousel?
TARA: Checked there too.
BUFFY: (to Giles) Nothing?
XANDER: Sorry, Buff.
BUFFY: Anything could have happened to her. Not just Glory.

They all look concerned.

BUFFY: We better check the hospital.

They all walk off together.

Cut to: hospital. Dawn and Glory are in some sort of lab, with X-ray display cases along one wall, racks full of beakers and test tubes. Glory shoves Dawn against a metal counter.
GLORY: (briskly) Okay. Small talk over. I'm in a bit of a crunch here, so let's cut right to the ooey gooey center. Your sister, the Slayer, has my key. It's mine, I want it. (softer) Do you know where she squirreled it away? There's ice cream and puppydogs in it for you if you start singin'.
DAWN: (nervously) I'm not sure. What does it look like?
GLORY: (smiles fondly, puts hands over her heart) Well... (walks a few steps away, gets nostalgic) the last time I caught a peep ... it was a bright green swirly shimmer. Really brought out the blue in my eyes. (annoyed) But then those sneaky little monks pulled an abracadabra, so now it could look like anything. You see the predicament I'm in.
DAWN: Maybe...
GLORY: Yes?
DAWN: Well, maybe if you ... told me more about it, I'd know if I've seen it.

Glory sighs, leans forward, puts her hands on the table on either side of Dawn. Dawn gasps nervously. Glory gazes at her for a moment.
GLORY: Okay.

Cut to: the others waiting in the hospital emergency room. Buffy turns away from the desk.
BUFFY: She wasn't brought in.
XANDER: Which is a happy thing, right?
BUFFY: I don't know, I...

A doctor goes by, leading a bunch of security guards.
DOCTOR: ...found him on the floor in the break room. You guys gotta see him. His head's almost twisted clean off.

Buffy stares after them.
BUFFY: Glory.

Cut to exam room. Dawn is now leaning against a wall while Glory sits on the exam table.
DAWN: So this ... key thing ... it's been around for a long time?
GLORY: Well, not as long as me, but ... yeah. Just this side of forever.
DAWN: (long pause, very quietly) Is it evil?
GLORY: Totally!

Dawn gives a little gasp of dismay.

GLORY: (laughs) Well, no, not really. I guess it depends on your point of view.
DAWN: What's it for? I mean ... if it's a key, there's gotta be a lock, right?
GLORY: Yes. We have a winner.
DAWN: S-so what does it open?
GLORY: (sighs) I smell a fox in my hen house. (annoyed) Is that why you've been playing sugar and spice with old Uncle Ben? (gets down from the table) Trying to get a peek at Glory's unmentionables?
DAWN: No, I-
GLORY: Shh! I kinda wanna hear me talking right now. Me talking. (gets right up close to Dawn) You know what I'm starting to think? I'm thinking ... that maybe you ... (Dawn looking very apprehensive) don't have any idea where my key is.

Glory spins away, speaking faster.

GLORY: Very irritating. Irrational. Know what I mean, tiny snapdragon? Like ...

She bangs her elbows down on the table, leans over and rubs her forehead, scowling as if she has a headache.

GLORY: ...bugs under my skin. And say, (sighs, closes her eyes) I'm feelin' a little...
DAWN: What's wrong with you?
GLORY: Hey. (sighs, smiles) Hey! (straightens up) This doesn't have to be a complete waste of my precious time. (turns and walks back toward Dawn) I've been meaning to send the Slayer a message. And I could use a little pick-me-up. Two birds, one stone, and (claps her hands in front of Dawn's nose) Boom. (Dawn looks very scared) You have yummy dead birds.

The door bursts open and Buffy enters, followed by the others.

BUFFY: Get away from my sister.
GLORY: Hey, we were just talking about you. (Dawn runs over behind Buffy)
BUFFY: Conversation's over, hell-bitch.

Buffy punches Glory with a right, then a left, then ducks a punch, kicks Glory. Spike enters the room. Buffy and Glory grapple; Buffy spins her around and slams her into a display case. Glory kicks Buffy away.

Shot of Dawn hiding behind a garbage can, watching the fight.

Glory punches Buffy. Spike comes up behind Glory and grabs her, pinning her arms against her sides. She struggles. Buffy punches Glory in the face while Spike holds her.

SPIKE: I thought you said this skank was tough.

Glory breaks free, grabs Spike's arm and flips him over, throwing him against a wall. She picks him up, head-butts him as Xander moves around behind them, holding a tire iron. Glory throws Spike and he slides across the exam table, crushing a bunch of medical equipment. He falls off the other side, lands against the wall unconscious. Buffy watches looking concerned. We can see Giles holding a crossbow.

GLORY: He wakes up, tell your boyfriend to watch his mouth.

Buffy gets in Glory's face, glaring.

BUFFY: (very firmly) He is NOT my boyfriend.

Giles tries to aim the crossbow, but Buffy is between him and Glory. Buffy begins punching Glory. We see Willow and Tara watching, both holding small leather bags and quietly chanting.

Buffy tries to kick but Glory grabs her foot and looks at it.

GLORY: Hey, those are really nice shoes.

Glory pushes Buffy's foot away. Buffy goes into a back-flip and kicks Glory in the face on the way down.

BUFFY: Giles, now!

Buffy dives out of the way and Giles fires the crossbow. The arrow bounces off Glory's stomach. She looks annoyed.

GLORY: Oh, please. Like that's-

Xander comes up behind her and hits her over the head with the tire iron.

GLORY: Hey! (grabs the tire iron and Xander) Watch the hair.

She flings Xander away; he flies back into Giles and they both crash into the x-ray display screens, which explode, showering sparks over them and Dawn in her hiding place. Dawn shrieks and covers her head.

GLORY: (points the tire iron at each of them) Time to start the dyin'. (We hear Willow and Tara still chanting) Start with the whelp!

Glory throws the tire iron like a javelin at Dawn.

BUFFY: Dawn!

Buffy throws herself into the tire iron's path, letting it stab her in the upper chest as she falls to the ground. Dawn begins to crawl out toward her.

DAWN: Buffy!
BUFFY: Get back!
GLORY: Nice catch. Is that the best you little crap-gnats can muster? (Buffy pulls the tire iron out of herself with a grimace of pain) 'Cause I gotta tell ya, so not impressed.

Glory walks in between Tara and Willow. They each throw a handful of glittery powder over her. It flutters down on her, covering her hair and body.

GLORY: (angry) Look what you did to my dress, you little-
WILLOW: (claps her hands once) Discede! (latin: "disperse" or "separate")

Glory explodes into a cloud of dust and disappears. Willow falls to the floor.

TARA: Willow! (rushes over to her)

Buffy stares, turns to Dawn.
BUFFY: Dawn.
Buffy pulls Dawn over and hugs her, looking back at Willow and Tara.
BUFFY: What did you do to her?

WILLOW: (panting, nose bleeding) Teleportation spell. Still working out the kinks.
BUFFY: Where'd you send her?
WILLOW: Don't know. That's one of the kinks.

Cut to: exterior nighttime. Several hundred feet above Sunnydale. We can see the lights of the city below. A cloud of dust appears and materializes into Glory. She looks around, looks down.
GLORY: Oh, sh-

Long shot of Glory as a ball of light streaking toward the ground.

Cut back to hospital. Tara crouches by Willow as Giles comes over. We see Xander getting up also.
GILES: That was an incredibly ... dangerous spell for an adept at your level. (He and Tara help Willow sit up)
WILLOW: (dazed) Yep. Won't be trying that one again soon.

Shot of Spike sitting up, looking annoyed.

Buffy and Dawn sitting on the ground together.
BUFFY: Are you okay? Did she hurt you?
DAWN: Why do you care?
BUFFY: Because I love you. You're my sister.
DAWN: No I'm not.
BUFFY: Yes you are. (Lifts Dawn's arm, so we can see her arm and hand are still bloody) Look, it's blood. It's Summers blood.

Buffy presses her hand against the tire-iron wound on her shoulder, wincing a little. She clasps her bloody hand in Dawn's bloody hand.
BUFFY: It's just like mine. It doesn't matter where you came from, or, or how you got here. You are my sister. (pause) There's no way you could annoy me so much if you weren't.

Dawn looks at her for a moment, then hugs her tightly. They both get teary-eyed.
DAWN: I was so scared.
BUFFY: Me too.

Shot of the others watching them.

BUFFY: Come on.

Buffy and Dawn stand up.

DAWN: Wait. Ben. He was here, he was trying to help me. He... (stops, looks confused) I ... I think he might have left before Glory came ... (frowns) I can't, I can't remember.
BUFFY: (takes her hand again) It's okay. Don't worry about it. Next time we see him, we'll thank him. (Dawn still looking puzzled) I have to get you back home though. Mom's freaking out.
DAWN: (eyes widen) Oh. Is she mad about the whole fire thing?
BUFFY: I think you sorta have a get-out-of-jail-free card on account of big love and trauma.
DAWN: Really? Okay. Good.

They start to walk out, holding hands.

DAWN: You think she'd raise my allowance?
BUFFY: Don't push it.

Blackout.
Executive Producer: Joss Whedon.