Buffy Logo 'Out of My Mind'
Story Code '5ABB04'

by Rebecca Rand Kirshner
Buffy

Buffy is out on patrol when she is interrupted first by Riley, and then by Spike, both eager to stake a vampire as well. She warns Spike to stay out of her way, and makes it clear that she does not want Riley to patrol alone; Spike promptly vows to kill Buffy, again. At Sunnydale University, Buffy moans to Willow that with her studies and Slayer training, she has no spare time. Later, at the 'Magic Box’, Anya and Tara are getting things ready while Xander is busy building shelving; they are joined by Buffy and Willow, and the former is astounded when Giles and Xander show her the workout room that they have built for her in the back room. Spike’s evening is disturbed by the arrival of Harmony, who tells him that Buffy is going to kill her as she is now the Slayer’s arch-nemesis; together they make plans to kill the Slayer. The next morning Joyce is preparing breakfast for herself and Dawn when she suddenly becomes disorientated and demands to know who Dawn is, before passing out on the floor. Buffy and Riley meet Dawn in the hospital Emergency Room, where an intern named Ben tells them that although their mother’s condition is not serious, the staff still need to run some more tests on her; Dawn uses Ben’s stethoscope to listen to everyone’s heartbeat, but when she gets to Riley she discovers that his heart is beating abnormally fast. After being tested by a doctor Riley is asked to stay for more tests on his excessively fast heartbeat; he refuses, making Buffy concerned that he will have a heart attack. Joyce joins them, and now seems to be fine; they return home, where Joyce is fussed over by both her daughters and Willow. Later, Willow, Dawn and Buffy discuss Riley’s heart; Buffy decides to try and reach the Initiative for help, and visits Riley’s place. Picking up the phone she hears clicking instead of a normal dial tone, and so tells whoever is listening that Riley is in trouble. Elsewhere, Riley is playing an aggressive game of basketball when Graham and two Initiative agents arrive; they try to take him to an operating room, but Riley refuses, knocks all three of them unconscious and then runs off. Graham visits Buffy at the university and tells her of Riley’s escape; the Slayer begs him to tell her what is wrong with Riley, and Graham replies that Riley’s heart is in trouble but his body is unable to feel any pain. Buffy tells Graham that she will look for Riley and take him to the hospital where the Initiative doctor is waiting. Willow, Tara, Anya, Xander and Giles convene with Buffy at the 'Magic Box’ to try and figure out where Riley is; Willow and Tara agree to check out the burned out High School, while Xander and Anya will search the docks. Buffy thinks he may be hiding out in the Initiative caves, but is worried that she is unfamiliar with the layout; she pays a visit to Spike and offers to pay him if he will help look for Riley and take him to the doctor. At the hospital, Graham, the doctor and several operatives are waiting for Riley when Spike and Harmony burst in and knock everyone except the doctor unconscious; using the threat of death from a crossbow they inform him that he has a new patient, and take him to a medical facility at the university, where they demand that he remove the chip from Spike’s head. Buffy finds Riley in the caves, repeatedly punching a wall but unable to feel the pain; she manages to talk him in to going to the doctor. At the university, the doctor has Spike’s head open, and is attempting to locate the chip in his brain. Riley and Buffy arrive at the hospital and discover that Spike has kidnapped the doctor. Meanwhile, the doctor has successfully removed Spike’s chip; Harmony is delighted, while Spike is overjoyed that he can now kill the Slayer. But just as the doctor is stitching up Spike’s scalp Riley and Buffy break into the operating room. Harmony accidentally fires her crossbow, impaling Riley in the leg; a fight breaks out and Spike manages to grab Buffy, but as just he is about to bite her he recoils in pain. Riley tries to subdue Harmony but heart pains cause him to collapse to the floor. Spike discovers that the doctor fooled him: fearing that he was unable to remove the chip, he instead substituted a penny. Spike and Harmony escape while Buffy tends to Riley. Later, at the hospital, the doctor has successfully fixed Riley’s heart; Buffy goes home to check on her mother, while Graham tells Riley that there is nothing for him in Sunnydale: he once had a mission, but now he is just Buffy’s boyfriend. Graham reminds Riley that he still belongs to the Initiative. Spike’s evening is interrupted when Buffy crashes into his crypt, but just as she is about to stake him Spike grabs her and kisses her passionately; confused, Buffy breaks away, but then grabs him and kisses him fervently, telling him that she wants him too. Spike tells Buffy that he loves her - only to wake up from his dream, sweaty, disturbed and in utter disbelief…

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy Summers), Nicholas Brendon (Xander Harris), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Marc Blucas (Riley Finn), Emma Caulfield (Anya), Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn), James Marsters (Spike), Anthony Stewart Head (Rupert Giles), Mercedes McNab (Harmony), Bailey Chase (Graham Miller), Amber Benson (Tara), Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers), Time Winters (Initiative Doctor), Charlie Weber (Ben), Dierdre Holder (Hospital Doctor)
Directed by David Grossman

TX (US): 17th October 2000
TX (UK - Sky One): 26th January 2001

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