Episode 6: All the Way
Written by Steve DeKnight

Posted by gracie on jamesmarsters.com on 9-29-01

Our story begins with a Halloween Bonanza Sale at the Magic Box. Anya is dressed as one of Charlie's Angel's and is zipping around on Roller Skates. Xander is a pirate. There are tons of customers buying creepy things. Willow is pissed off that the witch costumes are so stereotypical, but can't help thinking a little girl wearing the same kind of costume is cute. Dawn is just walking around chatting with scoobies and then she spies a shiny coin on a table nearby and snatches it. Anya tells Buffy to go get Mandrake Root from the basement and Buffy says "Okay but don't blame me if we have this conversation over and over again." (which I'm assuming has something to do with the Groundhog Day episode.)

While she's grousing she bumps into Spike on the stairs and asks him why he's lurking there and tells him he needs a collar with a bell on it. Spike asks if it can be leather and then wonders why everyone always thinks he's lurking. Buffy says it might have something to do with the the fact that he's always lurking. He says he came through the tunnels to get this kind of weed to spice up his blood. She just looks at him, disgusted. He says he was gonna pay for it, then admits he was gonna nick it. Because, he adds, he goes where he pleases and he takes what he wants. He asks her why she's working at the shop because he thought she'd had it with customer disservice. She says it's a one shot deal, no more loop de loop (Groundhogs Day) and mentions something about a mummy hand. (?) He helps her reach the mandrake root from a high shelf and the stage direction says: "They're close to each other, the air is charged between them." He asks her if she feels like a bit of the rough and tumble. She is surprised. WHAT? He says "Patrolling! Hello?" She says she should stay and help with the store, but maybe tomorrow night. He plays it off and says it's not like he doesn't have other plans. "The Great Pumpkin's on in twenty." He leaves and Buffy heads up, sighing. She says, "So much easier to talk to when he just wanted to kill me." (yeee)

So the store closes and everyone is pooped. Giles says they have to clean up and Willow suggests doing it magically. Both Tara and Giles nip that in the bud. Anya is beside herself while counting all the cash they made. Xander watches her doing a little dance with Dawn and says, "I’m gonna marry that girl." Buffy starts yelling at him because she thinks he means Dawn, then she gets it. Then Xander says he has an announcement. Anya: Now? I thought you were going to wait for the perfect time. Xander: I did. They tell everyone. Willows reaction: That’s -- that’s... wow. Everyone is very happy for them and Buffy says they have to do something. They end up having an impromptu engagement party for them at Buffy’s house.

There is a scene where some creepy guy walks up to a creepy house while creepily singing pop goes the weasel. Inside his house are creepy toys. He hears children laughing outside and murmurs something about them getting a surprise as he picks up a large butcher knife and hums pop goes the weasel some more.

The party is underway. Giles is pouring libations, Anya is flaunting her ring, Willow decides they need decorations and does a quick spell. Giles and Tara are concerned and Tara brings it up to Willow in the kitchen that what she did was not necessary. Willow argues that the decorations are super biodegradable, seeing that they will vanish in a few hours and the magic was harmless. Tara says it’s okay to do magic when you’re helping people, but not all the time. Willow is exasperated and says Tara is always coming down on her. Dawn comes in and the girls stop arguing, but it’s not resolved.

Xander is listening to Giles talk about the future and is starting to feel a little suffocated. Buffy is getting rather emotional herself... she says "I’ve been out of commission for three months and you... how many other things have changed since I’ve been away?" Dawn jokes that she got a tattoo. Buffy says over her dead body... the kind that doesn’t come back. Dawn asks Buffy if she can sleep over her friend Janice’s house. Buffy is reluctant but lets her go, it’s not like she’ll be out wandering the streets. Cut to Dawn wandering the streets. She meets up with Janice and they talk about how stupid their guardians are for falling for the old sleep-over trick. They meet up with Zack and Justin, two handsome seventeen year olds. They are both impressed by Dawn and Justin is super smitten. The four go around doing basic halloween mischief. Zack secretly asks Justin if he likes Dawn and if he thinks they’ll go All The Way.

Zack and Justin are daring Janice to go smash a pumpkin on creepy, pop goes the weasels guy’s porch. Dawn says she’ll do it and they are totally impressed. She is gaga for Justin and wants to look cool for him. As she’s about to smash, creepy guy comes out and invites them inside for a surprise. They are nervous but Zack is loving it. Once inside, creepy guy asks Dawn if she wants to help him in the kitchen with the surprise and Justin volunteers himself instead. In the kitchen, creepy guy is humming again and Justin is getting plates, creepy guy turns and gets the knife, a small smile on his face. He turns back, and there is Justin behind him in VAMP FACE! Justin says, "Boo." And sinks his fangs in. Creepy guy drops his Surprise which was just a big Halloween rice crispy treat thingie. Turns out he was just a nice old guy who used to make toys for kids. But hey wait a minute... Justin is a vampire! He runs out of the kitchen and tells the others to bolt. Dawn asks why and Justin says he stole the guy’s wallet when he wasn’t looking. After they get away, Justin and Zack hang back and Justin talks about being grossed out by creepy guy’s blood. Zack says a spritz of Dawn should wash that right out.

Meanwhile, back at Buffy’s, Anya goes on and on about her plans for the wedding, a new car, a baby... and Xander desperately tries not to hyperventilate. Anya talks about how rare it is to find the person you’re meant to be with and now Buffy is starting to feel the need to escape. She and Xander slip out on the porch. Xander confides that he never thought there’d be so much involved. Buffy convinces him that all of this is a good thing and he agrees that he’s wallowing, not drowning. He feels better and asks Buffy, "Once more into the breach?" She says her breaches are wearing a little thin and she might take Spike up on his offer to patrol.

Justin is charming Dawn. He gives her half the money from the wallet and says, "So begins your life of crime." She tells him she steals stuff all the time. She hasn’t paid for lipstick in forever. He says she’s a girl after his own heart. Cute AND bad. He offers her his jacket because she’s cold. It’s very cute and sweet except for the fact that he’s a vampire. Dawn asks where Zack is and Justin says he went to get the car. Dawn is surprised he has a car. Cut to Zack thowing an unconscious and bloody-necked woman out of a car.

Buffy is watching some trick or treaters and then she longingly watches a couple sharing a kiss. She absently steps into the street and is almost hit by an ambulance, coming to the rescue of the bloody-necked woman. Buffy follows it to find a small crowd gathered around the obvious vamp victim.

Giles gets a call from Janice’s mom and they both realize they fell for the oldest trick in the book. Giles dispatches the scoobies to go looking for Dawn. He’s slightly put out when he finds out Buffy left to go patrolling with Spike. Giles: (sourly) "Always nice to be in the loop." It should be noted that when Giles interrupted -- Xander, Anya and Willow were getting their "funk on" while Tara watched, still feeling the sting of the earlier argument.

The four teens end up at a make-out spot and park. Janice and Zack fall out of the car, kissing and laughing. Janice runs off playfully and Zack says, "I love it when they run." And goes after her. Dawn and Justin share a sweet moment and a sweet kiss. Dawn melts. Justin realizes it was her first kiss and Dawn gets embarrassed, telling him she’s a spaz. He kisses her again and tries to get fresh. She stops him, but she’s weakening.

Willow and Tara go to look for Dawn in the Bronze. They start to joke around and it looks like all will be well with them, but Willow wants to do a spell to find Dawn. It will momentarily put everyone who isn’t Dawn in an alternate dimention. Tara warns Willow that Giles wouldn’t like it. Willow angrily does a spell to quiet the club so she can bitch at Tara in peace. She accuses her of taking Giles’ side and talking to him behind her back. Tara says that Willow is using too much magic. She says, "What do you want me to do? Just sit back and keep my mouth shut?" Willow says, "That’d be a good start." (whoa) Willow instantly regrets it but can’t take it back. Tara: "If I didn’t love you so much I would." Tara turns to leave. Willow calls after her but the sound comes back up in the club.

Justin "accidentaly" bites too hard on Dawn’s lip. He says he can’t help it, she’s just so beautiful. Dawn melts again. They make out some more and Justin gets all bumpy. Dawn sees this and starts to scream.

BOOM! Buffy crashes through Spike’s door. "Get your gear together, we need to--" She sees an old black and white horror movie playing on the TV... a half eaten bowl of popcorn on the chair, but no Spike. The TV is casting eerie shadows. Buffy calls for Spike again, and there he is next to her. They both scream in surprise. Spike: "You know, in civilized cultures that’s called trespassing." Buffy: "Good thing you’re uncivilized. We’ve got trouble." Spike: "Giles found you?" Buffy is confused, then freaking when Spike explains about Dawn. He says she and her little friend pulled a Houdini. He just did a sweep of the tunnels and Giles is poking around in the cemetary. He tells her it’s probably fine, they’re just doing a bit of mischief. Buffy says they have to find her and opens Spike’s weapons chest. Spike: "I don’t think she’s in there." Buffy throws him a crossbow... all business. (Rats.)

Giles hears a scream and finds Zack standing over Janice who he thinks is Dawn for a minute, he whacks Zack with a flashlight and then sees that it’s not Dawn. Zack tries to be cool vampire guy -- calling Giles grampa and whatnot -- but Giles kicks the crap out of him and impales him on a tree branch. Zack’s final words: "Dude, that sucks!" Winded but still damned cool, Giles asks Janice where Dawn is.

Dawn is trying to fight Justin off but he tells her he really likes her, she’s not like all the other girls who are stupid and boring. He just wants to be close to her. It’s hard for Dawn to resist him when he’s being all charming. She lets him get close to her and he says, "It’ll only hurt for a second..."
Giles: "I bet you say that to all the girls."

Dawn snaps out of it. Angry Giles comes out of the bushes and threatens Justin. Just then, headlights flick on from the other parked cars and a bunch of adult vamps step out of cars with blood dripping from their mouths. Giles is surrounded. Suddenly, a hand clamps down on his shoulder... it’s Spike. "Is this a private game or can anyone have a go?" And then Buffy appears on Giles other side. She sizes up the situation and yells at Dawn. "Were you parking? With a vamp?" It’s a really funny scene where Dawn and Buffy are arguing and everyone is standing around waiting to fight. Then Buffy asks the whole group if anyone came there just to make out. One couple raises their hand... they are terrified. Buffy says "That’s sweet. Run." They high-tail it out of there and the fight begins. Spike takes on a vampire named Carl. Carl: "What is your malfunction man?" Spike: "It’s Halloween, you nit. We take the night off, those are the rules." Carl: "Me and mine don’t follow no stinking rules. We’re rebels." Spike: "No, I’m a rebel. You’re an idiot." Spike dusts Carl but loses his crossbow. Dawn is backing away into the woods when Justin pops up behind her. "Trick or Treat." He tackles her and Dawn looks more hurt than scared. Dawn: "I thought you liked me." Justin: (sincere) "I do. And you like me too." Dawn: (sincerely) I do. Justin smiles, then stiffens. Dawn has found Spike’s crossbow and dusted her first kiss. She lays there, frozen, tears welling up in her eyes.

Everyone is back at Buffy’s. Xander and Anya leave. Spike follows behind, saying he should bugger off since Big Bad’s shouldn’t venture far from their crypts on Halloween. Buffy says, "Good fight." THEY BUMP THEIR FISTS TOGETHER AS SPIKE EXITS. (How cute is that??) Tara is still pissed and says she’s going to turn in. Willow follows close behind. Buffy tells Giles that Dawn is taking it hard and he says it’s not surprising, but they can’t ignore that kind of behavior. Buffy says he’s right. She’s glad he’s there to sort it out. "Don’t be too hard on her, okay?" She leaves Giles holding the bag. He watches her go, not happy about the big avoiding of responsibility.

Giles: We need to talk. Dawn: Is this the part where you tell me you’re not angry, just disappointed? Giles: Pretty much. Except fot the bit about not being angry.
Upstairs, Willow says she’s sorry, but Tara says it’s not that easy. Willow says she can’t reverse time and take it back, then makes a joke about doing a spell that Tara does not find amusing. She says she’s tired and gets into bed. Willow picks out a flower from a jar on her night stand.

Willow: "Lets just forget about it." Then she says something softly in Latin that means Forget. The flower glows for a second, then Willow gets into bed. Tara says something about her feet being cold and Willow says she’d better warm her up. They kiss sweetly and Willow asks if she’s still mad. Tara: About what? They cuddle and Willow smiles. All is right with the world again.
The End.