GILES: Feel any better?

BUFFY: I think at one point, I actually turned completely inside out. But yeah, better.

GILES: I'm sorry I didn't, uh, find this demon with my research.

BUFFY: Aw, it's okay. I-it wasn't much of a fight. I got lucky. (quietly) I'm really screwing up, Giles.

GILES: What? Come on. You were being tested ... sequentially, by some ... unknown demon. I don't call that screwing up.

BUFFY: No, it completely is. I let the demon set the rules.

GILES: Go easy on yourself, will you? I mean, you don't have to figure the whole thing out at once, you know, job and everything. You're pushing yourself too hard.

BUFFY: The nice people at the phone company? Seem to think it's not hard enough.

GILES: Well, maybe there's something I can do about that. This is, um ... I... It's for you.

BUFFY: A check? This is, is too much, I can't take it.

GILES: Well, tear it up then. (reaches for it)

BUFFY: (snatches it away from him) No! I was just being polite. I'm taking the money. This is, this is great. This is more than great. I don't ... really know how to say this ... (softly) but it's a little like having Mom back.

GILES: In this scenario, I am your mother?

BUFFY: Wanna be my shiftless absentee father?

GILES: Is there some sort of, um, rakish uncle?

BUFFY: (smiles) I'm just saying ... (seriously) Thank you. So much. I'm gonna ... show this to Dawn. She loves it when things get easy. I just ... wanna tell you ... that, um ... this ... makes me feel safe. Knowing you're always gonna be here.

• Buffy & Giles
• Dealing with Joyce's death

written by: David Fury and Jane Espenson; transcribed by Joan the English Chick (pisces@englishchick.com). action descriptions shortened by me.. Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/105lifeserial.html