Buffy Logo 'All the Way'
Story Code '6ABB06'

by Steven S. DeKnight
Buffy

It Is Halloween, a time when chaos reigns at the ‘Magic Box’ - as Giles, Buffy, Xander, Tara, Willow and Anya try to cope with all their customers; meanwhile, Dawn takes advantage of the situation and steals a medallion. Buffy goes down to the basement and runs into Spike, who is stealing some root to flavour the blood he drinks. When the vampire asks Buffy to go out patrolling with him she declines, and heads back upstairs to help Giles at the cash register. Giles asks Buffy to stay in the shop with him, because Halloween is a quiet night for demons. Across town, Old Man Kaltenbach, the local loony, prepares a surprise for his ‘Trick-or-Treat’-ers - which involves a very large knife. The ‘Magic Box’ finally closes for the day; the gang are exhausted, but Xander suddenly stands up and announces that he and Anya are engaged. Everyone is thrilled for them, and they all head back to Buffy’s house for an impromptu Engagement Party. Willow decorates the room using magic, but this upsets Tara, who asks Willow why she has to use her powers for everything; Willow fails to see what has Tara so worried, but their argument is interrupted by Buffy’s sister. Dawn then leaves the party to go and stay over at her friend Janice’s house; but she and Janice have lied to Buffy and Janice’s parents; instead they meet up with two boys, Justin and Zack, and head off to perform some minor criminal mischief. At the party, Xander and Giles share a drink and talk about Xander’s future. Elsewhere, Janice, Dawn, Justin and Zack arrive at Old Man Kaltenbach’s house. Dawn is about to smash a Pumpkin Head when Mr then appears and grabs her arm, and then surprises them by inviting them all in for candy. Inside the house, Dawn and her friends discover that Mr Kaltenbach is just a friendly old man, if a little bit mad. But then when Justin goes into the kitchen to help with the snacks he transforms into a vampire, drains Mr Kaltenbach’s blood, and steals the man’s wallet. Back at the Summer’s house, Anya reveals her plans concerning having babies, while Buffy and Xander sit on the porch together for some peace and quiet. Buffy decides to find Spike and join him on patrol, and Xander heads back to the party. Dawn and her friends roam the streets, but fail to see Zack killing the owner of a car so that he can steal it; he then drives them to a secluded spot, where Zack and Janice decide to play hide and seek; left alone in the car, Dawn gets her first kiss from Justin. After Janice’s mother calls Buffy so that she can speak to her daughter, Xander realises that Janice and Dawn have lied about where they are staying. He and Anya stay at the house in case anyone comes home, while Giles goes to look for Buffy and Spike, and Willow and Tara head off look for Dawn. Having just missed Giles, Buffy turns up at Spike’s crypt, and the vampire tells her about Dawn; they then both grab weapons and go in search for Buffy’s sister. Willow and Tara go to ‘The Bronze’ to look for Dawn, but Tara gets upset when Willow suggests using a frivolous spell to locate Dawn; she accuses Willow of misusing magic and storms out. Meanwhile, Giles is searching a cemetery when he hears a scream; finding Zack trying to feed on Janice Giles dusts him. Back at the car, Justin is telling Dawn how special she is when Giles, closely followed by Buffy and Spike, locates them – just at the same time as a gang of vampires. Buffy, Spike and Giles take care of the undead monsters, while Dawn stakes Justin when he tries to bite her. Later, at the Summer’s house, Buffy and Giles agree that Dawn’s behaviour needs to be dealt with; before Giles can object Buffy rushes upstairs, leaving him to talk with Dawn. The following conversation is not pleasant for either of them. Up in their room, Tara and Willow get ready for bed, but Tara is still angry at Willow. As Tara climbs into bed, Willow picks up a small flower from the dresser and mumbles “forget”; she gets into bed with her Tara and asks if she is still angry with her. Tara asks her about what…

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), James Marsters (Spike), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn), Amber Benson (Tara), Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles), John O'Leary (Kaltenbach), Kavan Reece (Justin), Amber Tamblyn (Janice), Dave Power (Zack), Charles Duckworth (Glenn), Dawn Worrall (Christy), Emily Kay (Maria), Adam Gordon (Carl), Sabrina Speer (Girl), Chad Erickson (Guy), Dominic Rambaran (Paramedic #1), Anthony Sago (Paramedic #2), Lorin Becker (Witch Woman), Lily Jackson (Witchy Poo)
Directed by David Solomon

TX (US): 30th October 2001
TX (UK - Sky One): 7th February 2002

Notes:
*Featuring Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Anya, Tara and Dawn