Consequences



Buffy has a nightmare in which she tries to escape the murky water while the murdered Finch pulls her down by the ankle. Finally reaching the surface, Buffy sees Faith, who immediately pushes her fellow Slayer back underwater. After waking up, Buffy wanders down to the family room, where her mother is watching a news report about the discovery of Finch's body.

At the library, Wesley orders Buffy and Faith to investigate Finch's murder. During their discussion, Cordelia enters the library to check out some books for an assignment. She takes an immediate interest in Wesley, who doesn't realize how old she really is until Giles and the others fill him in. After heading out, Buffy tries to convince Faith into coming clean and confessing their crime. Faith reminds Buffy that they were both involved, so if she goes down, she's taking Buffy with her. Buffy then spots Willow and tries to talk to her. However, Willow is still stung by Buffy's recent behavior. Meanwhile, Mayor Wilkins shreds all of Finch's files that contain anything related to their dirty work. Mr. Trick listens as Mayor Wilkins wonders if Allan Finch was conspiring against him somehow.

Later that night, Buffy and Faith sneak into Finch's office at City Hall to see if they can find any info that might explain why he was in the alley that night. They notice that almost all of his files are gone, which leads Buffy to believe that a cover-up may be in the works. Just as they're heading out, Mayor Wilkins and Mr. Trick enter the building on the opposite end of the hallway. Seeing them together, Buffy and Faith duck back into Finch's office, waiting for the Mayor and Mr. Trick to pass by before running for the exit. Outside, Buffy expresses her concern over Faith's apparently guilt-free conscience. She doesn't believe that Faith is perfectly okay with murdering a man, but Faith says otherwise. Faith believes that their nightly deeds as Slayers should put them above the law.

When Buffy returns home, she is greeted by her mother and Detective Stein, who has come to ask her a few questions about the night of the murder. Buffy lies and pleads ignorance to everything related to the murder. Detective Stein leaves and visits Faith at her motel room, where he gets a similar story. Meanwhile, Buffy tells Willow the truth about everything that happened. Willow advises Buffy to go to Giles. When Buffy arrives at the library, she finds out that Faith has gotten there first and pinned the murder on Buffy. Buffy tries to convince Giles otherwise, but he sends her to his office to deal with her later. After Faith goes home, Giles assures Buffy that he's aware of Faith's lies. While Giles tells Buffy that he has no intentions of involving the Watcher's Council in this matter, Wesley overhears the whole conversation from outside the office. Soon afterwards, he calls the Council in Britain to alert them of the crime.

The next morning, Buffy talks with Xander, Willow, and Giles about what they should do with Faith. Feeling he has a special connection with Faith ever since the night they slept together, Xander volunteers to talk to her. In no time, Buffy, Willow, and Giles figure out what happened between the two of them. While Xander heads towards Faith's motel room, Willow cries over the revelation that her first love has had sex with another girl. At the motel room, Xander tries to help Faith see that what she did was wrong. With no intentions of hearing any more of this, Faith shoves Xander onto the bed and jumps on top of him. Unlike last time, however, Faith's desires are much deadlier. She wraps her hands around Xander's neck and tries to squeeze the life out of him. Before she can kill him, Faith is distracted by a sound at her doorway. She turns her head just in time to see Angel swing a bat right into her face.

Later, Faith regains consciousness in the mansion. Noticing that she's all chained up, Faith tries to come on to Angel. He leaves her there alone momentarily while he goes to talk with Buffy in another room. Angel believes that Faith is more dangerous than ever, now that she's experienced murder by her own hands. After Buffy leaves to patrol, Angel returns to the main chamber to talk to Faith. He tells her how he can relate to her sinful desires. Unfortunately, Faith has no interest in his attempts to help her. Suddenly, Wesley and several other men crash into the mansion. The men subdue Angel while Wesley unlocks Faith's chains. Immediately after unlocking the last chain, Wesley restrains Faith with his own cuffs, informing the Slayer that she will be brought to Britain to face the Council. In the truck, Faith tricks one of the men into getting closer. She then beats him to the ground and threatens to snap his neck unless Wesley frees her from the restraints. Wesley follows her orders. As soon as she's freed, Faith knocks Wesley to the floor and jumps out the back of the truck.

Buffy returns to the mansion to find Faith gone and Angel immobilized on the floor. Shortly, Giles, Xander, and Willow arrive at the mansion. When they try to formulate a plan to save Faith, Willow interrupts with her own objection to the idea of saving a guilty murderer who has just tried to kill Xander. At that moment, a bruised Wesley arrives at the mansion and tells them that Faith has escaped. Having an idea of where she might be, Buffy goes to the docks. Sure enough, Faith is on one of the boats, ready to flee the country. Buffy tries one last time to turn Faith around and get help. They argue again, but this debate is cut short by a surprise ambush. Mr. Trick and several of his vampire cohorts knock Buffy to the ground with a large crate. With Buffy down for the moment, Faith attempts to fight the vampires by herself. As Buffy recovers, Mr. Trick takes advantage of her weakened state to try and kill her once and for all. After dusting the last of the vampire henchmen, Faith sees Mr. Trick about to bite into Buffy's neck. Quickly, Faith rushes over and stakes Mr. Trick's heart from behind, bringing him to a dusty end.

At the library, Buffy talks to Giles about Faith's heroic act. They believe that there may still be hope for Faith. Little do they know that Faith plans on exploring her newly expanded horizons. Mayor Wilkins gets a visit from Faith at his office. With Mr. Trick out of the picture, Faith wants the available job. Intrigued, Mayor Wilkins lets her into the office, shutting the door behind

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