aired on: May 15, 2001

written by: Douglas Petrie

directed by: David Solomon

Glory's minions are quickly packing her things and arguing among themselves. Glory is irritated by them, but for some reason doesn't feel like killing them. After twenty-five years of being trapped in a human body, she has finally obtained The Key and the means to return to her hellish realm for revenge on those that banished her. She still is not content and she asks for Dawn's advice. Buffy's sister Dawn, a.k.a. The Key, sits in a chair - bound, gagged and terrified.

Back at the abandoned desert gas station where they fought the Knights of Byzantium and Glory, the Scooby Gang, along with Spike, considers their next move. Spike has hot-wired Ben's car to get it started. It has been about a half-hour since Glory took Dawn from them. Xander encourages Willow to try to talk to Buffy again. Willow tries calling to her, but Buffy sits in an unresponsive, catatonic state.

Spike wonders if Buffy has suffered permanent brain damage. Xander thinks that they should try to get Dawn back from Glory regardless, but Spike wants Buffy to lead them. Willow and the others have no idea how to deal with Buffy's condition. Spike takes the direct approach, grabbing Buffy and trying to reach her by shouting at her and slapping her, even if it does cause the chip in his head to produce blinding pain. Xander grabs him and they begin to scuffle.

Willow's face takes on a look of grim determination. With a single word, her magic forces Spike and Xander apart. She tells them that they can settle their differences after the end of the world, right now they have work to do. Willow begins to issue orders with an air of confidence and authority similar to that that Buffy assumes in times of danger. She tells them that they are going back to Sunnydale. She instructs Xander to take Giles to the hospital. She assigns Anya to care for Tara. She orders Spike to find Glory. She also tells Spike that if he tries to attack Glory without informing the others of her location, that he will answer to Willow. The tone in her voice and stern look on her face assures everyone that she is deadly serious. No one challenges her leadership. Willow assigns herself to saving Buffy.

Tara begins to become agitated again and Willow tries to comfort her. Spike asks what they should do if they find Ben. Willow doesn't think that a doctor can help Buffy. Spike agrees that Buffy doesn't need a doctor that can turn into Glory. All the humans are confused. None can grasp what Spike is trying to say. They wonder what possible connection there could be between Ben and Glory.

Spike reminds them that Ben changed into Glory right in front of them. The humans just look more confused. Spike becomes agitated as he recaps for them how Ben came to help Giles' injury, eventually changed into Glory and took Dawn. The others can comprehend that he is telling them that Ben and Glory are connected somehow, but they cannot imagine how, even though Spike just told them. Spike finally realizes that all humans are under a mystically influence to forget Glory's secret identity. It becomes comical as every time they understand the situation, they forget it a split-second after the realization.

Glory hauls Dawn into a workshop where all the workers bow at her presence. The workers presumably are escaped mental patients, now in Glory's thrall. She takes Dawn to a back room where a robed figure starts to paint Dawn's face. Glory is in a bad mood and dismisses the priest, Minion. He protests that he must anoint The Key, but Glory sends him away. She wipes most of the black marks from Dawn's forehead and then settles in to gloat over her victory.

Dawn is terrified and begs for Glory to release her. Glory tries to reassure Dawn that all her woes will disappear when her mortal flesh is ripped from her body as a part of opening the barriers between dimensions. Dawn shows a flash of defiance and Glory is surprised to feel insulted. Glory wonders why she was trying to comfort Dawn at all. She worries that she is beginning to be infected with human emotions. She becomes angry at Dawn for being the source of her discomfort. She recalls the priest to resume the anointing. She tells Dawn that tomorrow they will drain every drop of blood from Dawn's body, thereby activating The Key and causing the walls between dimensions to fall.

At Xander's apartment, Willow lays out magic supplies. She admits to Anya that she isn't entirely sure that she can succeed in curing Buffy. Anya reminds her that the spell is a very dangerous one for both Buffy and Willow. Willow spends a moment with Tara. Anya assures Willow that she will care for Tara and then becomes concerned when Willow seems unsure about how long the spell will take. Anya does manage a fake smile and with obviously forced cheerfulness she wishes Willow "Good Luck". Willow kisses her lover, Tara, on the forehead and then she goes to the bedroom.

Inside, she lights a couple more candles and then sits facing Buffy. After a few seconds of silent concentration, there is a flash of white light and Willow finds herself in the Summers' home. The walls are painted different colors and the furnishings are unfamiliar, but it's definitely their home in Sunnydale. In the living room is a little blonde-haired girl about seven years old that greets Willow by name. Willow says hello to little Buffy.

Spike searches Glory's abandoned apartment. All he finds is the bedroom that Ben used.

Willow asks little Buffy why she is here and tries to get her to agree to come with Willow. Little Buffy tells Willow that today is a big day. They are interrupted by the arrival of Buffy's mother and father. Joyce Summers is carrying a baby and Willow realizes that this is supposed to be the day the Dawn was brought home from the hospital. It's a fake memory, implanted by the monks that transformed The Key into Dawn so the Slayer would protect it from Glory. But like all their memories of Dawn, it's difficult not to treat them as real. Little Buffy is upset that she isn't the baby of the family anymore and at first rejects the newborn. But Joyce quickly brings Buffy around by letting her hold Dawn and reinforcing Buffy's important new role as the big sister.

Footsteps call Willow's attention to a scene of the adult Buffy placing a book on the shelf at Giles' magic shop. In the blink of an eye, Willow next finds herself in the desert before a raging bonfire.

Giles and Xander are leaving the hospital. Giles is surprised to hear that Willow is using very advanced magic to explore Buffy's mind. Xander tells Giles that all the mental patients in the hospital have escaped. Spike meets them to report no results from his search of Glory's. He lights up a cigarette, while standing in front of a No Smoking sign, and suggests that there is a demon with specialized knowledge that might be able to help them. Spike and Xander leave to contact Spike's source. Spike casually mentions finding Ben's clothes at Glory's and Xander is again surprised to hear that Ben and Glory are somehow connected. Just for fun, Spike slaps Xander on the side of the head and they both suffer a sharp pain. Spike explains again about Ben and Glory.

Glory is miserable. Ben's memories and emotions are starting to invade her mind. She remembers Ben going out to the desert to help Buffy and her friends. She asks if Dawn remembers what happened. When Dawn tells her that she remembers Ben changing into Glory, Glory becomes distressed that the magic that protects her secret and separates her from Ben is fading. She changes into Ben for a few seconds and then back to Glory. Glory orders the priest to exorcise Ben from her being, but he tells her that is impossible. Glory grabs Dawn by the throat and decides to use The Key right away.

Willow is witnessing the meeting between Buffy and the spirit guide that Buffy sought during her vision quest. The spirit tells Buffy that death is her gift, which surprises and confuses both Buffy and Willow. Willow again hears footsteps and watches Buffy put the same book on the same shelf at the Magic Box. The moment lingers for a few seconds before Willow is transported to Buffy's house again. She watches Buffy walking through the upstairs hallway. Buffy doesn't answer Willow's call.

Glory's followers are trying to convince her that it's a bad time to kill Dawn. She finally relents when they tell her that she will ruin her own plans if she acts hastily. She sends everyone but Dawn away. Glory asks Dawn how humans cope with the jumble of thoughts and emotions that run through their minds, not to mention their hormones. Dawn isn't in the mood to talk, but Glory presses and Dawn tells her that some people enjoying being human. Glory thinks that all humans must be mad, considering the state of the world and the human condition. She thinks that it's another indication of her superiority over all things mortal. Dawn still thinks that Buffy will prove Glory wrong.

Willow tries to convince Buffy to leave with her or at least to talk to her. They enter the bedroom at the end of the hall, Joyce's room. The floor is grass and in place of Joyce's bed is her grave complete with headstone. Buffy reminds Willow that death is Buffy's gift. The statement only confuses Willow, but Buffy seems confident. They go into Dawn's room and Dawn in lying in bed with her eyes open. She appears to be having trouble breathing. Buffy tells Willow that death is Buffy's purpose, it's what she is. Buffy places a pillow over Dawn's face and, despite Willow's protests, presses down until Dawn stops struggling.

Glory is ranting at Dawn when suddenly she changes into Ben. Dawn wants Ben's help to escape, but he seems lost in a hallucination. As he recounts a terrible memory, it seems clear that he is recalling Glory's slaughter of the Knights of Byzantium. Her memories are starting to intrude on his consciousness and he is horrified at what Glory has done. A knock at the door brings them both back to the immediate problem. Ben knocks the priest at the door unconscious and he escapes with Dawn, promising to separate from her before he changes back to Glory.
Willow thinks it's strange that she's back at the beginning of her odyssey into Buffy's mind, talking to little Buffy again. Willow watches the replay of baby Dawn's arrival at home. The scene is interrupted once by the vision of book-shelving Buffy.

Doc calls out that his door is always open. Spike and Xander enter to enlist Doc's help in defeating Glory. Suddenly Xander blurts out that Ben is also Glory. The magic that prevents him from remembering that fact is fading. Spike quickly recaps the situation for Doc. Doc remembers Dawn from when she got the magic to resurrect her mother. Somehow, he's certain that Dawn didn't go through with the spell. It seems to takes Doc a moment to remember Glorificious, but when he does he recommends that they stay out of her way. Spike tells him that Glory has Dawn and they are determined to stop her. Doc doesn't have any thing that will help them, but he knows a fellow in China that might be of use. Spike becomes suspicious and wonders if Doc hasn't moved to block their vision of the thing they really need.

Doc springs through the air and across the room. He grabs a sword. He knocks Spike down and uses a supernaturally-long tongue to push Xander back into a wall. Doc admits that he is a worshipper of Glory. He throws a small wooden box into his raging fireplace. Doc grabs Spike and begins to gloat. Xander recovers and knocks Doc away. Spike retrieves the box from the fire and Xander manages to drive the sword into Doc's chest. After they leave, the dead Doc's eyes open.

Buffy and Willow are back in the upstairs hallway. Willow stops her this time and tells her that she must stop killing Dawn. Buffy calmly assures her that she did indeed kill her sister. Willow tries to convince her that it's all in her mind, but Buffy can't understand. Buffy resumes her routine of visiting her mother's grave in the bedroom and then killing Dawn.

Dawn and Ben find an alley to hide in. Dawn hits Ben over the head, knocking him unconscious. She apologizes to the sleeping Ben and runs from him. She only gets a couple of steps before Glory gets up in Ben's place. Glory is upset at the memory of getting hit over the head. She threatens to hurt Dawn in many ways that won't shed any blood. Before she can carry out her threat, Ben assumes control and struggles to keep it. The two beings argue with each other as their body does quick changes between the two.

In desperation, Ben breaks a bottle and threatens to let Dawn's blood spill over the ground. Ironically, Glory gets control and protects Dawn from Ben. Glory thinks though that Ben is incapable of murdering Dawn. Glory tempts Ben with the idea that he can become an immortal after Glory separates from him, if Glory helps him. He rejects her offer, admitting that he can't kill Dawn no matter what the temptation. Glory tells him that immortals don't suffer from guilt or other human failings and then she gloats that she is going to win anyway. Ben assumes control and grabs Dawn. As he hauls her away he apologizes for what he must do to save himself. He turns Dawn over to Glory's minions.

Buffy and Willow leave Joyce's room, with Willow practically begging Buffy to stop killing Dawn. When they reach Dawn's room, however, they are in the magic shop instead. Buffy and Willow watch Buffy shelving the book over and over again. Willow wants to know the significance of this event. The Buffy with Willow protests that Willow doesn't want to know. Willow reminds her that it's Buffy that keeps bringing Willow back to this scene.

Both Buffys begin to explain that it was at this moment in her life that Buffy realized that she couldn't defeat Glory - that Glory was going to win. Buffy knew that and not only accepted it, but welcomed the possibility. The fighting and conflict would be over then. Buffy would no longer be faced with the responsibility for doing the impossible.

She imagines that there would be a period of sorrow and grieving, but then her life would go on. She feels guilty for wanting it even at the cost of Dawn's life, but she admits that some part of her just wants it to be over. Because of this she thinks that she may have unconsciously hesitated or in some way caused Dawn to fall into Glory's hands. She is convinced that she gave up her sister to Glory - that Buffy killed Dawn.

Willow admits to agreeing with Spike for once, some one just needs to yell at Buffy to get over it. Both Buffys are suddenly paying attention to Willow. She tells them that Buffy is suffering from simple guilt. That Buffy has felt responsible for the entire world since she was girl in High School. She may have given into a momentary lapse after years of steadfast dedication, but that doesn't mean that she should give up.

Buffy still thinks that she's responsible for Dawn's death. Willow reminds her that Dawn isn't dead yet and Buffy is her only hope. Buffy is still consumed with doubt that she can stop Glory. Willow then agrees that Buffy IS killing Dawn. Willow turns to leave and Buffy asks where she is going. Willow once again has a determined look on her face as she tells Buffy that she is going to fight Buffy's fight. She invites the Slayer to come along.

In Xander's apartment, the two women still sit facing each other. Suddenly both of them awake from their trance. Buffy begins to weep and Willow holds her friend.

The rest of the gang has gathered at the magic shop. Buffy and Willow arrive. Buffy, in charge again, first confirms that Spike and Xander have recovered the text of the ritual from Doc and that Ben and Glory are the same person. Giles tells her that he has studied the scrolls and can find only one way to stop Glory. He explains that if Glory drains Dawn's blood, at the required time and place, then the barriers between dimensions will collapse and nothing but destruction and chaos will reign.

There is only one way to prevent the ceremony - Buffy will have to kill Dawn.