Lover's Walk
Buffy Summers surprises her friends with her S.A.T. scores, which are a
combined total of 1430. While everybody is fairly excited by this news,
Buffy herself is more concerned with the fact that she may have to consider
her future more seriously. Later that night, a car runs over the welcome
sign at Sunnydale's city limits. Completely drunk, a familiar figure tumbles
out of the driver's side door: Spike. Spike heads to the burnt-out factory
where he originally stayed with Drusilla before Giles' invasion forced them
to leave. Spike laments over his recent break-up with Dru as he smashes one
of her old dolls.
The next morning, Xander convinces Cordelia to join Oz and Willow on a
double date at the bowling alley. Xander notices that Cordy has taped
pictures of herself and Xander, along with Oz and Willow, to the inside of
her locker door. After confirming the plans, Oz follows Willow to her locker
and gives her a pez dispenser with a witch's head on it as an impromptu
gift. Overcome with guilt, Willow confronts Xander outside and tries to
convince him that the double date is a bad idea. In the library, Giles
admires Buffy's S.A.T. scores while he finishes packing for a retreat at
Breaker's Woods. Buffy mentions her mother's enthusiasm and encouragement to
apply to major colleges across the country. Giles agrees that Buffy should
take advantage of this opportunity, while Faith could keep an eye on
Sunnydale. Elsewhere, the deputy mayor informs Mayor Wilkins that Spike is
back in town. Mayor Wilkins agrees with his suggestion that they get Mr.
Trick to send a vampire committee to take care of Spike. Later, after
school, Buffy and Joyce discuss college plans. Joyce continuously mentions
out-of-state universities. Meanwhile, Spike goes to the Crawford Street
mansion and spies on Angel, who is reading a book inside. Still drunk, Spike
passes out on the floor of the garden.
As the sun rises the next morning, Spike is abruptly woken up by the sight
and pain of his burning hand, which has been ignited by the sunlight. He
goes to a local magic shop in search of a curse to cast on Angel. Spike
hides as Willow enters. He looks on as Willow buys a few ingredients for a
de-lusting spell, which she hopes will put an end to her affair with Xander.
After Willow leaves, Spike feeds on the shopkeeper and formulates a new plan
to get what he wants. At the mansion, Angel tells Buffy that she should look
into college. This causes Buffy to leave early. Later that night, Xander
finds Willow working on some sort of experiment in the science lab. While
they wait for Cordelia and Oz to meet them there for the double date, Xander
realizes that Willow is actually performing a spell. She tells him about the
nature of the spell, and Xander is not pleased with Willow's preferred
method of dealing with their situation. Suddenly, Spike appears to kidnap
Willow. While Xander fights Spike, Willow attempts to hit the vampire with a
heavy object. Spike grabs it out of Willow's hands and strikes Xander
directly in the head, knocking him out. Willow and Xander are then brought
to the factory and locked in the basement. While Xander lays on a bed,
unconscious and bloody, Spike demands Willow to perform a love spell that
will bring Drusilla back to him. Willow tells Spike that she still needs a
few additional ingredients and the right spell book. Back at Sunnydale High,
Cordy and Oz barge into the library where Buffy is training. Worried about
Xander and Willow's absence, they take Buffy to the science lab and show her
the aftermath of the fight. Buffy sends them to find Giles at his retreat
while she goes back to the library to properly equip herself for the search.
Before Buffy can enter the bookcage, the phone rings. It's Joyce, and as
Buffy listens, Spike enters the Summers' home. As soon as Buffy hears the
familiar voice, she drops the phone and runs home as fast as she can.
Joyce makes a couple cups of coffee while Spike tells her his sob story
about what happened between himself and Drusilla. Outside, Angel approaches
the house. He sees Spike sitting at the kitchen counter with Joyce and tries
to run into the house, but can't do so without an invitation. Joyce is
terrified to see Angel again, unaware that the real enemy is standing right
behind her. Distracted, Spike doesn't even notice Buffy's entrance as she
grabs him from behind and pins him to the counter. Joyce watches in
confusion while Buffy invites Angel into the house to help with Spike. Spike
tells them what he's done with Willow and Xander, but he doesn't say where
they are. Buffy and Angel reluctantly agree to help Spike get what he needs
for the love spell in exchange for her friends' safety. Meanwhile, Oz picks
up Willow's scent, so he cancels the drive to Breaker's Woods and tries to
find Willow and Xander instead. Cordelia is not too comfortable with the
fact that Oz still has a few latent werewolf abilities even when it's not
that time of the month. Buffy and Angel follow Spike to the magic shop to
get the ingredients. While there, Spike mocks Buffy and Angel's attempt to
be nothing more than friends. Spike insists that they will forever be in
love with each other, just like he is with Dru. At the factory, Xander
finally comes to and learns from Willow everything that's happened.
Realizing that their situation is seemingly hopeless, Xander and Willow lay
on the bed and kiss, unaware of the fact that Oz and Cordelia have just
arrived to rescue them. Nobody can believe what they're seeing, and Cordy
takes it the hardest. As she runs back up the stairs, one of the
deteriorated steps crumbles. Cordy falls through the hole to the hard floor
below. When Xander looks down through the hole, he sees that Cordy is
impaled on a steel rod, which is sticking up from her torso.
After gathering all of the ingredients, Spike, Buffy, and Angel run into a
large group of vampires outside of the magic shop. One of the group's head
vampires, Lenny, is not too pleased with Spike's return to Sunnydale. A huge
battle erupts on the street. Outnumbered, the three retreat into the magic
shop and seal off the entrances. They miss one of the doors in the back,
which is soon opened by the invading vampires. As the battle spills into the
magic shop, Spike drives a stake through Lenny's heart, reducing him to
dust. More vampires bust through the window, but they are quickly thwarted
off by the vials of holy water thrown by Buffy and Angel. Spike is
thoroughly satisfied with the emotional rush from the battle, and decides to
forget about the love spell and win Drusilla back by being his old self.
Spike tells them that Willow and Xander are at the factory, then leaves.
Meanwhile, at the factory, Xander climbs down to the injured Cordelia while
Oz leaves to get help. Luckily, none of Cordy's organs were punctured by the
rod, but her distress over Xander's betrayal is beyond repair. While Buffy
comforts Willow about the whole situation, Xander tries his own luck at the
hospital where Cordy is recovering. He brings her flowers and tries to
apologize, but Cordy simply tells Xander to stay away. Later, Buffy goes to
the mansion and tells Angel that she won't visit him anymore. Buffy can't
get out of her mind what Spike said about the two of them, so she decides to
break off her contact with Angel. While everybody somberly reflects to
themselves about what happened during the past few days, a jubilant Spike
leaves Sunnydale once again.
