Buffy Logo 'Wrecked'
Story Code '6ABB10'

by Marti Noxon
Buffy

Tara and Dawn wake up on the sofa together; they have slept there all night, as neither Buffy nor Willow has come home. Elsewhere, Spike and Buffy wake up in the ruins of the building after their passionate night together; although Buffy is horrified by what she and Spike have done, their passion re-ignites and they begin kissing again. Tara is busy making pancakes for Dawn when Willow returns home with Amy; things are very tense between Willow and Tara, especially as she was out with another girl. Willow is exhausted and goes to bed; as she leaves, Tara runs into Buffy, who is just coming home, and who also goes straight to bed. Later that day, Buffy helps Xander and Anya research demons, as they are still trying to figure out what happened at the museum. Anya and Xander express their concerns over Willow’s behaviour, but Buffy tells them that she thinks Willow will be fine. That evening, Willow and Amy go out again; Amy takes Willow to meet Rack, a strange man who deals in black market spells, and whose invisible apartment also serves as a den for magic junkies. After Rack comments that he likes Willow because she is so powerful, the two girls get wasted on his spells; Rack tells Willow she can pay him by letting him tour her mind and magic. But when Willow sees a strange demon through the haze she transports herself to ‘The Bronze’, then the ‘Magic Box’, and finally back home. She wakes up at eleven o’clock the next morning, with no knowledge of how she got there. Buffy and Xander discuss Willow, Buffy telling her friend not to be judgemental, remarking that perhaps Willow has no control over what she is doing - it is obvious that Buffy is trying to rationalise her own behaviour with Spike. Later on, Willow takes Dawn out for a burger and a movie, feeling bad for staying out all night. Buffy returns home and hears something moving around upstairs; she is surprised to discover Amy stealing magical things from Willow’s room. The witch tells Buffy about Rack, and how Willow is becoming addicted to his spells. On the way to the movies Willow decides to go to Rack for a quick fix; she leaves Dawn alone in the waiting room for two hours while Rack helps her to get high. This time Willow’s visions are more elaborate, and she sees the demon again. Buffy visits to Spike to get his help with searching for Dawn and Willow; the vampire is concerned, as he has heard of Rack’s reputation, and knows that Buffy needs him to track down Rack’s invisible apartment. Willow finally returns to the waiting room, but she is totally wasted; Dawn us upset with her, and has to drag the witch outside. As they walk through the streets they are unaware that the demon from Willow’s hallucination is now following them. Buffy and Spike continue bickering while looking for Rack’s place. Meanwhile, the demon, Mandraz, attacks Willow and Dawn, but Dawn retaliates, giving them both a chance to run away. Willow steals a car, magically hot-wiring it so that she and Dawn can escape; but the magic is still affecting Willow, and she crashes the car into a wall. As Dawn stumbles from the wreckage Mandraz prepares to attack her, but Buffy appears and fights the demon off. Willow comes round a little and manages to cast a spell that causes the demon to spontaneously combust. Spike and Buffy decide to take Dawn to the hospital; Willow tries to apologise to the young girl, but Dawn just slaps her across the face. Willow crumples to the ground, utterly ashamed of herself. As Buffy looks at her friend lying on the ground Willow finally admits that she needs help. Later, at the Summer’s house, Dawn is in bed nursing a fractured arm, while Willow and Buffy talk. Willow promises to quit magic altogether, and tries to explain her actions by telling Buffy that she was a nobody in High School, but her magic makes her feel powerful. Buffy assures her she will still be special without magic. As they talk about temptation and the pain it causes, Buffy finds herself thinking about what she is doing with Spike. Later, while Willow tries to go through cold turkey, sweating and shaking, Buffy sits in her bed, surrounded by the crosses and anti-vampire items that she has now hung up all over her room…

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), Danny Strong (Jonathan), Adam Busch (Warren), Tom Lenk (Andrew), Patrice Walters (Woman), John Patrick Clerkin (Man), Jack Jozefson (Rusty), Rick Garcia (Reporter), Kelly Smith (Innocent Girl), Jordan Belfi (Ryan), Adam Weiner (Simon), Melanie Sirmons (Brie), Lauren Nissi (Girlfriend)
Directed by David Solomon

TX (US): 27th November 2001
TX (UK - Sky One): 7th March 2002

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