BUFFY: (softly) How bad are you hurt?

RILEY: Dunno yet. Night's still young.

BUFFY: (mournful) Riley, I have to tell you something.

RILEY: Figured.

BUFFY: Maybe you want to sit down.

RILEY: I'm fine.

BUFFY: Riley, I--

RILEY: (insistent) Wait. Me first. Buffy . . . I feel like we've gotten really close. At least I thought we had. I don't know much about Angel or your relationship with him . . but . . . all I ask is . . if you're gonna break heart, do it fast.

BUFFY: What? You think that Angel and I . . .

RILEY: Didn't you?

BUFFY: No. Of course not. How can you even ask me that?

RILEY: (sighs) I don't know. Xander said--

BUFFY: Xander?! Oh, he's the deadest man in Deadonia.

RILEY: No. It's not his fault. I prodded and he explained how Angel went bad. The, uh, trigger.

BUFFY: (quietly) Oh.

RILEY: And, uh (chuckles) after that, I went a little nuts! You know? I mean . . . On the one hand . . I should believe in us. But on the other . . Sometimes things happen between exes and when I saw that he was bad. . .

BUFFY: He's . . not bad.

RILEY: Seriously? That's . . a good day? (Buffy rolls her eyes in confirmation) Well, there you go. Even when he's good he's all Mister . . Billowy Coat King of Pain and girls really--

BUFFY: Riley, stop.

RILEY: See? Nuts.

BUFFY: Have I ever given you any reason to feel that you can't trust me?

RILEY: No.

BUFFY: Then why with the crazy?

RILEY: (meaningfully) Because I'm so in love with you I can't think straight.

BUFFY: Tell me about it.

(He hugs her and she closes her eyes as she holds him tight.)

BUFFY: Riley. I still have to tell you something. And there's no easy way--

RILEY: Just say it.

BUFFY: (a beat) Forrest is dead. (gently) I'm so sorry. There was a fight. Adam killed him. I barely got away. I know that there's nothing I can say that's gonna make this better. But we will find this thing and destroy it.

RILEY: (somber) I have to go.

BUFFY: Are you sure?

RILEY: I have to go now.

(He walks to the door, grabbing his flak jacket off Willow's chair and leaves. Buffy looks concerned.)

• Buffy & Riley

written by: Douglas Petrie; Transcribed by Joseph B. Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/76theyokofactor.html