Part two of two

Spike wheels himself up to the Judge with Drusilla in tow. The Judge is preparing himself for the night's activities. Suddenly, Dru freaks out and falls to the ground screaming, she is having a vision. The camers closes in on her face and she smiles.

Outside Angel's flat, Angel is lying on the floor, obviously in pain. A woman passer-by (who's smoking) notices him and goes over to see if he is okay. he gets up, and turns around. He's got his 'game face' on. He catches the woman and bites into her neck. When he pulls away he blows her cigarette smoke out.

Buffy wakes up and finds Angel gone. Very confused she returns home. She tries to sneak in, but her mother hears her. Joyce asks if she had a nice sleepover at Willow's and senses that something is up with Buffy, but Buffy just brushes her off, saying everything is fine.

In the library, Xander reports in, telling everyone about how nice a night he had at Sunnydale Bus Depot. Everyone is worried that Buffy and Angel have not checked in yet. Xander and Willow offer to go and find her and are about to leave when Buffy walks in. She tells them that the Judge is ready to roll and that Angel is missing. The bell rings for class and everyone leaves, Willow catches up with Buffy. Jenny watches them walk away.

At the factory, Dru is lying on the table naming all the stars (with the same name), but she's staring at the ceiling and it's daytime, as Spike helpfully points out. Spike asks her about Angel, as low and behold in he walks. The Judge tries to burn the humanity out of him, but there's no humanity there to burn. They make small talk about destroying the Slayer and killing the world. Angel asks for a little time to make the Slayer crazy (like he did with Dru) so that she won't be in the way when they burn the humanity out of the world.

Jenny is in her flat, talking to her Uncle about Angel. She can sense that something terrible has happened, but her uncle won't tell her. She admits to him that she has had trouble keeping Angel away from Buffy, but there are some things in the world that she can't control.

Meanwhile in the library, a research party is going on. Willow is trying to reassure Buffy that Angel isn't dead. Xander and Cordelia meet up behind the bookstacks and Xander apologises for his earlier behaviour. As there are no handy broom closests about they kiss behind the shelves, Willow walks round the corner and catches them in the act, as they break away they notice Willow who's there in shock. She runs out of the library, Xander close on her heels (much to Cordy's annoyance). Xander catches up with her and tries to explain everything to her, but she won't listen, she's too upset and runs off.

Buffy goes back to Angel's flat. When she gets there it looks like there is no one home. But the bed has been made. She turns around and there is Angel, getting dressed. She gives him a huge hug and tells him that she was so worried. He replies by saying that last night was just a one night stand and implies that she wasn't very good. She cries.

Willow returns to the school, saving the world takes precedence over her broken heart. Xander finds her and tells her that he has a plan, then the lights suddenly go out and he has a wiggins. Angel walks in through the double doors and sends Xander off to the library. He then convinces Willow to come over to him.

As Xander is running to the library he relaises that something isn't quite right and goes back. Jenny appears out of the shadows and tells Willow to get away from Angel, it's too late though. Angel grabs her by the neck. Xander coming running back. Angel says that he has a message for Buffy (Willow's soon to be dead body). Buffy appears behind him and asks, coldly, what that would be. Angel turns around to face the Slayer, tightening his grip on Willow. Xander takes a cross off Jenny and creeps up behind him. he shoves the cross into Angel's face which makes him let go of Willow. He retreats, and on the way out gives Buffy a kiss before throwing her against the wall.

The Scooby Gang regroup in the library and Giles tries to find out what made Angel bad again. But Buffy's not telling. Xander tells them that he has a plan but he needs Cordy to wear something trashy . . .ier. Giles continues to question Buffy, but she can't take it anymore and runs out in tears.

Buffy runs home and falls on her bed in tears. She cries herself to sleep and has another dream. It starts with her and Angel in bed together (you get the idea) then it cuts to a funeral service in the cemetery, it's daytime and Angel is standing there next to her. Jenny is standing beside her.

When she wakes up she rushes into school and barges into Jenny's computer class. She grabs Jenny and throws her down onto her desk. Giles, who was following close behind, excuses the class and gets them out. Buffy wants to know what Jenny is up to. Jenny finally admits that she knew about the curse, but she didn't know how it could be broken. Jenny tries to convince Buffy that if she did know that she would have told her.

They go to Jenny's flat to see her uncle and try and get some answers, but Angel got there first. On the wall above Jenny's uncle's body, written in blood is "Was it good for you too?" Buffy knows that she *has* to kill Angel.

Xander and Cordelia break into the army base (Willow and Oz are waiting outside in Oz's van). Cordy and Xander are caught by a guard, but Xander blags himself out of trouble, by threatening to report the guard to his superior. When they get into the armoury Cordy asks Xander how he knew all that stuff. Xander tells her it's memories from when he became a soldier at Halloween. Cordy also inquires into whether weapons make him feel like sex. Xander tells her that everything does.

Back in Oz's van, Willow asks Oz if he'll kiss her. He refuses because he knows that she is only doing it to make Xander jealous. He does confess though to having daydreams about her, so there is hope after all.

Back at the library, Jenny offers to help Buffy and Giles stop the Judge but they send her away, her betrayal is too much for the Slayer and the Watcher. Xander and the others come back from the army base with Buffy's Birthday present (a large wooden box). Xander jokes about the colour, but when Buffy opens it she says that it is the best present ever.

Across town at the Factory, Angel and Drusilla are ready to help burn the humanity out of humanity. Spike, however, is housesitting due to his 'can't walk' problem. A few minutes after they leave for the mall, Buffy and the rest of the Slayerettes show up to find that the party has moved elsewhere. Spike watches unnoticed from the shadows while the Slayerettes decide where to try next. Oz has a brainwave and knows a place where they might have gone on a rainy night.

At the local multiplex, Angel, Drusilla and the Judge come through the main doors to cause some trouble. The Judge burns two innocent people and then sends a line of sparks/fire through everyone standing in the foyer. Elsewhere in the multiplex, Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang come out of a lift with the wooden box. They come into the foyer and see the Judge, Dru and Angel. They hide behind the popcorn counter and open the box. Inside is a rocket launcher. Buffy jumps up on top of the popcorn counter and shoots the Judge with a crossbow to grab his attention. The Judge laughs at Buffy, he reminds her that no weapon forged can kill him. Buffy picks up the rocket launcher and prepares to fire. Angel and Dru fling themselves over the railings of the landing as Buffy fires. The Judge explodes into a thousand pieces, Angel and a very stroppy Drusilla make a run for it.

Buffy goes after Angel and catches him up. After a little small talk they fight, Buffy manages to knock Angel to the ground and is about to stake him, but she can't. He mocks her and tells her that she'll never be able to kill her, so in response she kicks him (very) hard in the groin (ooh, ouch. There was a lot of anger behind that kick). She walks away saying "Give me time." while Angel writhes on the floor in pain.

Giles drives her home. They talk about what she has done and what Angel is capable of.

When she gets home Joyce gives her a chocolate cupcake with a candle in it. She tells Buffy to make a wish. Buffy says that she'd rather just let it burn.

Our View -
Oh my, it really is hotting up! Buffy's perfect life has been shattered, Giles feels like he has been betrayed, Willow is shocked by the change in her best friend (It goes against nature). With all this going on the Judge seems to take more of a back seat. Evil Angel is great though and the rocket launcher is definitely the best weapon.

Our Score - 9

The Professional View -
Strangely nowhere near as effective as 'Surprise' , despite gathering up most of the loose ends, and containing fine performances. Highlights include Alyson Hannigan;s ability to be angry and funny at the same time. What drags the episode down is the unnecessary subplot about the military missile that pushes the veiwer away from the important stuff. And there's that odd, downbeat ending.

Their score - 7