(Hospital)

JOYCE: Buffy, uh, (clears throat) I'm gonna ask you something, a-and if I'm, if I'm being crazy you just tell me, okay?

BUFFY: (nods) You got it.

JOYCE: The other day ... well, actually, I'm, I'm not sure when, the days seem to all bleed together...

BUFFY: It's not important.

JOYCE: No, I guess it isn't. I do know I was ... pretty out of it, and I had ... not-not a dream ... exactly, more like I had this ... knowledge, i-it just came to me like ....truth, you know? Even though it didn't seem...possible, even though I shouldn't even think such things.

BUFFY: What?

JOYCE: That Dawn... She's not ... mine, is she?

(Buffy stares at her mom, then looks down. She comes to a decision and looks Joyce in the eye.)

BUFFY: No.

JOYCE: She's ... she does belong to us, though.

BUFFY: Yes, she does.

JOYCE: And she's important. To the world. Precious. As precious as you are to me.

(Buffy smiles and nods again. Joyce nods back. )

JOYCE: Then we have to take care of her. Buffy, promise me. If anything happens, if I don't come through this-

BUFFY: Mom-

JOYCE: No, listen to me. No matter what she is, she still feels like my daughter. I have to know that you'll take care of her, that you'll keep her safe. That you'll love her like I love you.

BUFFY: (teary) I promise.

JOYCE: Good. Good.

(They hug. )

JOYCE: Oh, my sweet brave Buffy. What would I do without you?

(cut to Joyce being wheeled away on a gurney towards her operation. Buffy and Dawn with arms around each other, watching. Behind them we can see Riley, Xander, Anya, Giles, Tara, and Willow.)

• Buffy & her mom
• Dawn as the Key

written by: Jane Espenson; Transcribed by Joan the English Chick (pisces@englishchick.com).. Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/87listeningtofear.html