Synopsis of Into the Woods
Written by TK
Hospital
Willow, Xander, Riley, Buffy, Dawn, and Giles are all waiting for Joyce to get out surgery. They're all surprised it's taking so long, although Riley assures Buffy that that's probably a good sign. Finally Dr. Kriegel comes out. He says that he was able to get all of the tumor out and, barring any complications, it looks like Joyce will make a full recovery. Everyone hugs each other.
Xander's apartment
Dawn is staying with Anya and Xander because Buffy and Riley want some "alone time." They talk about going to a movie.
Summers house
Buffy and Riley are being all romantic. Buffy says she's more relaxed than she's been in a long time. Riley tells Buffy he wants tonight to be special for her. He comments that she's been really strong through this whole ordeal, she didn't even cry. Buffy says she DID cry, she cried so hard she thought she wouldn't stop. Buffy doesn't notice how upset Riley is by the fact that he didn't know that.
Graphic sex scene between Buffy and Riley.
Spike is outside, staring up at Buffy's window, smoking.
After Buffy falls asleep, Riley gets up. Spike spots Riley leaving Buffy's house and follows him to the back alley where we saw Riley being sucked on by a vampire last episode.
Hospital
Buffy and her mother are talking about whether Joyce should wear a wig or a scarf to cover her head wound. Joyce says Buffy should get back to her life, school, slaying, Riley. Buffy says she told Riley to make plans with his friends because Buffy wanted some alone time with her mother.
Some room
The military guys, Miller and Forrest, are talking about how there is a breeding ground in Belize and they're going to air drop in. Forrest suggests they bring along Riley, 'cause he'd be really good in a mission like this.
Buffy's bedroom
Buffy is asleep. Spike walks in and surprises her. He tells her he wants to show her something, and tries to pretend like the fact that she's sleeping naked doesn't affect him at all. He says it's important. Buffy gets dressed.
Back alley
Spike takes Buffy through the door where Riley went last night. It's a vampire hang out, like an old abandoned house, and there are a few humans around who are being bitten and seemingly enjoying it. Spike and Buffy head upstairs. A vampire tries to stop them, but Spike pushes him away. In an upstairs room Buffy sees Riley being bitten in the arm by a female vampire, and he's telling her to bite harder. Buffy's jaw drops and Riley looks up at her. Buffy runs away and Riley pushes the vampire away, gathering his shirt to run after her. On her way down the stairs, a vampire harasses her and she throws him across the room. She runs outside and Spike runs after her. He says, "I thought you should know." She just stares at him and runs off. Riley runs down the stairs too, and the vampire that Buffy threw across the room stops him and asks if that was the slayer. Riley says yes. The vampire is pissed that Riley brought the slayer to their lair. The vampire and Riley struggle a bit, but Riley gets the best of the vamp and runs out of the lair.
Summers home
Buffy walks into her room, still in shock.
Riley's room
Forrest and Miller are waiting for Riley when he gets back to his room. They invite him to join them in Belize to kill a demon tribe that is terrorizing missionaries. Riley says he doesn't do that anymore. They assure him they're not the Initiative, they're just army, killing monsters not doing experiments on them. They say the invite stands, they leave tomorrow at midnight.
Magic shop
Giles is putting up a holiday banner. Anya gets testy when people make fun of her and don't appreciate what she does around the magic shop, and Xander tells her not to be so rude to people. Buffy busts in and says she wants to learn more about a vampire nest downtown where it seems humans go and pay vampires to bite them. Anya and Giles explains that this sort of thing happens all the time, humans pay for the rush. Buffy wants to take the nest out. Giles says maybe they should focus on Glory. Buffy says she's vampire slayer, and she's going to slay. Xander suggests they pause, make a plan, and maybe wait for Riley. Buffy says she's going now, they can come or not. They all scramble to back her up even though they don't understand Buffy's urgency.
Vampire nest
The nest is empty. Buffy is pissed and wants to find them. She picks up a small gas stove and throws it across the room where it lights the curtains on fire. Willow, Xander and Giles are surprised by her actions.
Spike's lair
Riley busts in on Spike and slams him around a bit. Spike says Riley got himself into this and he shouldn't kill the messenger. Riley thinks killing the messenger is a great idea and stakes Spike. Spike screams, but doesn't turn to dust. Riley says it's a plastic stake, he was just using it to prove a point. Riley tells Spike he knows that the vamp wants Buffy, and he tells him to stay away from her. Spike taunts Riley that he's afraid of competition from a vampire because he knows that Buffy needs some monster in her man, and Riley can't hold onto her. Spike tells Riley all the things he's been feeling, that even when he's with her he's really alone.
Magic shop
In her training room, Buffy is pounding the crap out of a punching bag. Xander and Anya are in the shop. Xander realizes something is seriously out of whack with Buffy. Riley comes in and says he needs to talk to Buffy alone. Anya starts cracking jokes and Xander tells her now is not the time. Anya suggests they go home and have sex, and Xander says he has stuff to do.
Training room
Riley comes in and says they need to talk. Buffy says she's not ready. Riley says they have to. Riley says the whole thing started when he sort of wanted to figure out how Dracula and Angel had so much power over Buffy. But then these vampire women made him feel something that Buffy didn't. They needed him. Buffy can't believe she's hearing this. Riley tells Buffy that she keeps him at a distance, doesn't let him in. She says she's given him everything, her heart and soul. He says he doesn't feel it. He tells her that the military wants him back and they're leaving tonight. He tells her he's going with them unless she gives him a reason to stay. She can't believe he's giving her an ultimatum like that and walks out.
Outside the magic shop
As Buffy walks away she is surrounded by vampires. One of them tells her that torching their nest was not a good idea, and they're not going to let her shut them down. She warns them that now is not a good time to mess with her, but they advance on her anyway. She kills them all almost effortlessly. The last one is the female vamp that Buffy recognizes as the one who was biting Riley. She stares at her for a moment and then lowers the wooden pole she's been using as a stake. The female vamp makes a run for it. Buffy changes her mind and throws the pole like a spear, killing the vamp in mid-stride. Xander walks up, impressed with the short work Buffy made of the vamps. Buffy tells him to go away. He says they need to talk, but obviously Buffy is going through something right now. Buffy says she doesn't want to talk and walks off into a nearby warehouse. Xander follows her and gives her this amazing speech about the fact that she's treating Riley like a rebound, and if he's not what she needs, then she should just break his heart and get it over with quickly, but if he could be the person she madly loves, then she should think about what she's going to lose. At one point, she lashes out at him, saying he's got Anya following him around like a puppy-dog, and that's not love. He reminds her that they're talking about her and Riley. He prods her, and all of a sudden she looks at him in horror. He tells her to run. She runs.
Buffy is running through the town of Sunnydale.
Riley is waiting by a helicopter, looking around, hoping to see her.
Buffy is running.
Riley is waiting. The helicopter's roter (spelling?) is starting up.
Buffy is running. She enters the park where Riley is waiting.
Riley looks around. He is upset that he still doesn't see Buffy. He gets into the helicopter.
Buffy is running. She approaches the helicopter pad as the helicopter takes off. She yells to Riley but he can't hear her over the noise of the machine. She stands on the ground, watching helplessly as the helicopter leaves with Riley in it.
Anya's apartment
Xander comes in. Anya is already in bed but not asleep. He tells her, in an eloquent speech (Xander seems to be full of eloquent speeches in this episode) how much he loves her, treasures her and needs her.
Buffy sadly walks up the stairs in her house. Riley sadly flies away in the helicopter.
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