Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996–2003): Season 7, Episode 4 - Help - full transcript

Previously on
Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

- Anya.
- I thought you were with Giles.

- Studying how to not kill people.
- I just got back.

Are you asking me
to be a counselor?

Spike's been staying
in the school basement.

Xander's there doing
construction on the new gym.

- I was, uh, wondering why I...
- Have this job?

I still haven't
finished college.

These students need someone
around here who understands them.

I need someone who understands
these students.

- You did good work on her.
- She looks good.



Thanks. She's all set
for the service tomorrow.

Good.

- All right, then.
- I'll see you in the morning.

- Good night.

Hey.
Sorry.

Thirty-three minutes. Since when do we go
to all this trouble for one lousy vampire?

Excuse me.
One lousy, potential vampire.

Vampire by vampire. It's
the only way I know how.

I think this thing has
a freakin' child lock on it.

- Shh.
- You know, I'm not the shortest one here.

I don't know why I had to be
in the kid coffin.

- Look, I know it's my job...
- No. I'm sorry. I wanna help.

I guess I've been a bit stressed out
lately. I'm sorry I took it out on you.

No big. I've been kind of
stressed myself.



Well, the whole Willow sitch
is not unstressifying.

I mean, she's here,
but not part of the gang here,

and hopefully not under my feet here
in another time dimension... here.

There's Willow. There's the looming
humongo bad. And it's a school night.

I should be home in bed
cuddling up to my insomnia...

and worrying about how
I'm going to mess up tomorrow.

You'll be fine.
You'll be a great counselor.

It's my first week
actually talking to the kids.

What if their problems
are all weird and tricky?

Well, I think you underestimate your familiarity
with the world of weird and tricky.

This job's perfect for you.

Check out perfect me. Taking my sister
on an educational outing to the...

Dead body.

I don't know. Amateur opinion
here, but she looks dead.

I mean, like
natural-causes dead.

The paper said she had unusual
cuts and contusions on her neck.

Maybe she cut herself shaving and
then died naturally of embarrassment.

She looks... peaceful.

I am not peaceful.

That I can help with.

I always thought closed caskets
were more tasteful anyway.

Yeah. I'll see you guys later.

- Hello.
- Come in. Hi.

- Mr. Miller sent me here.
- Do you know why?

I'm not sure.

Maybe 'cause this guy
was picking on me.

- I don't wanna talk to you.
- Okay. That's fine.

- I'm serious. I don't wanna talk.
- Okay.

You know, I hate to miss bio, but I thought
it was best I come speak with you.

- So what's on your mind?
- On my mind?

Are you worried about school?

Uh, friends, girls,
your parents?

Yeah. Yeah, that's it.
My parents.

- So what about them?
- Um, issues of divorce.

You know, it's awful
being teased,

but the thing is, you know, with bullies
like this, they're really just...

Insecure? Yeah,
everyone says that.

You know, I'm really tired
of everyone being so insecure.

Divorce is terrible. My parents
got divorced when I was a kid.

Yeah. My parents
are happily married.

It's hard. You know,
I feel left out.

But I'm also concerned
about girls.

Okay. I'm just bored.

Uh, maybe I should
get back to bio?

You have to stick up
for yourself, Amanda.

You need to show this bully that you're
not going to take anymore of his shi...

Guff. Any guff.

'Cause that's what I did.
I stuck up for myself.

The other day after class, I
jumped him in the parking lot,

and I slammed his stupid-ass, insecure
face right into the pavement.

You... what?

I guess that's another reason
Mr. Miller wanted me to see you.

- Do you think I should
pound on him some more?

I bet she's giving 'em great advice.
Absolutely.

Those kids are lucky to have Buffy looking
out for them. I just wish she believed it.

She's still stressing over the whole dropped
out of college, not actually qualified thing.

Plus, the salivating Hellmouth
underneath her feet and the whole...

"From beneath you, it devours." It's
not the friendliest jingle, is it?

It's no "I like Ike"
or "Milk. It does a body good."

I know.
It's gonna be bad.

It's gonna be real bad.
And I wonder, will I...

Well, if it comes... when it
comes... will I be able to help?

I think so.
I don't know.

I don't know
what I can do.

I mean, frankly, I'm-I'm
scared of what I might do.

Yeah, I get that.

Figuring out how to control your magic
seems a lot like hammering a nail.

Well, hear me out.
So you're hammering, right?

If you hold the end of the hammer,
you have the power, but no control.

It takes, like, two strokes to hit the
nail in, or you could hit your thumb.

Ouch.
So you choke up.

Control, but no power. It could take,
like, 10 strokes to knock the nail in.

Power, control.
It's a trade-off.

That's actually
not a bad analogy.

Thanks. Except I'm less worried
about hitting my thumb...

and more worried about
going all black-eyed baddie...

and bewitching that hammer into cracking
my friends' skulls open like coconuts.

Right. Ouch.

Sorry.

Xander, being back here,
I don't know.

It'll take time.

Are you sure
you're ready for this?

Hey.

It's me.

I'm scared.

I don't wanna be
left all alone.

My brother's joining up
with the marines.

You know, if he knew I was making a fool
of myself, he'd smack me on my head.

I guess I'm just being stupid.

Sounds like your brother's pretty tough.
Yeah. You know, he's a man.

- I'm just all messed up right now.
- You are not messed up.

It's not "messed up"
to worry about your brother.

What if he doesn't come back?

- What if he gets blown up?
- Have you talked to him?

Have you told him how you feel?
No.

No. I-I don't wanna talk to him.
I don't wanna do that.

I don't wanna talk to him.
Okay.

You understand?

So, Josh,
what's on your mind?

Well, um,
I'm worried that I'm gay.

Okay. First of all, I think it's great that
you would come and talk to me about this.

Second of all, you should know that there is
nothing shameful about being gay. Nothing.

I-I know. It's just
I'm not positive,

so, uh,
I was thinking that...

why don't you go on a date
with me so I can be sure?

It sounds like
it's difficult for you.

Like maybe your sister makes it hard for
you to establish your own identity.

You said she's controlling. She doesn't
let you make your own decisions.

Yeah, and she borrows my clothes
without asking. I understand.

That must be hard.

So you're not doing your homework?
I guess not.

It all just seems
kind of... whatever.

I know high school
can seem kind of frustrating.

But if you just get through it,
then you can go to college,

or you can join the French foreign
legion or anything you want.

Yeah, well,
I'm not gonna do all that stuff.

Okay, no foreign legion. I get that. I
mean, all the changing your name...

and being indentured for all those
years and occupying Algeria.

It's just that I'm not
graduating from high school.

- Why not?
- I really like that shirt. Where did you get it?

Cassie, don't change the subject.
Why won't you graduate?

Because next Friday
I'm gonna die.

- What?
- Can we talk about something else?

No. We have to
talk about this.

Just...
Never mind.

- Cassie, what makes you feel like this?
- Feel like what?

- Like you wanna hurt yourself.
- I'm not gonna commit suicide,

if that's
what you're saying.

No way. Okay, then. Then
what are you saying?

Look, I don't mean
to be a pain.

You seem really nice, and I know
you're just trying to help.

But I'm wasting your time. No, you're not.
This is why I'm here.

Cassie, please tell me, why
do you think you're gonna die?

I don't think it.
I know it. I just know.

What do you mean you know? Are you
saying that someone's gonna hurt you?

- Has someone threatened you?
- No. No.

I-I just know that
next Friday I'm gonna die.

Some things I just know.
I don't know how. I just do.

- Like I know there'll be coins.
- Coins?

Mm-hmm. Lots of coins.
Weird ones.

And I know that you'll go
someplace dark underground.

- I-I don't know.
- What do you mean underground?

- I know you'll try to help.
- Cassie, I don't understand what you're saying.

But you can't, okay?

I gotta go. Trig. I don't want Mr. Corrigan
sending me to Principal Wood again.

Cassie, please...
Thanks for being so nice.

I really do like that shirt. You should put
a sweater on so it doesn't get stained.

I gotta go.
Cassie, wait. Please.

- I gotta go.
- What am I supposed to do?

Well, you did what you were supposed to do.
You reported the situation to me.

- And?
- Listen, Buffy, it's hard.

Kids this age, they're hurting, they're
pissed off, and they say things.

Sometimes they say awful things.

When I was in high school, I had a thing
with this guy, right? Real bully.

I kept telling everyone that he'd
better sleep with one eye open...

'cause I was gonna
bust his ass.

Well, I got suspended.

- Talk like that is taken pretty seriously where I come from.
- The hood?

Beverly Hills.

Which is a hood.

Listen, the point is I was talking
big because I was scared.

I couldn't bust a move in high
school, let alone someone's ass.

Most of the time that's what it is when
these students act out. Fear. Pain.

But sometimes
it's not just talk, right?

Every time there's a threat
like this, we do the same dance.

Inform teachers.
Search lockers.

But we can't... we can't know what's gonna
happen, and we can't search their brains.

We just...
We just do what we can.

It's not enough.
I need to fix this.

- I don't usually get a heads-up before somebody dies.
- What do you mean usually?

No. No, not since...

I-I mean, I'm sure it's not usual to
get a chance to stop something like...

I just...
I need to do something, okay?

I have to make this better.
Oh! Oh. Shoot.

I have a job for you.

What are you drawing? Don't you
have a history test to study for?

Why don't you
design me a tattoo?

A tattoo?
Oh, right. I can imagine that.

Come on. Design something and maybe
we can get matching tattoos.

How about a snake with some fire
coming out of its mouth?

Mmm. Or a sexy hula girl
that wiggles when you flex?

Yeah, now you're talking.
A sexy hula girl.

- But a sexy snake hula girl.
- You're so ridiculous.

So I was thinking maybe we should
go to that dance after all.

What do you mean "after all"?
I told you I don't wanna go.

Well, I assumed
you were kidding.

- It'd probably be lame anyways.
- Well, yeah, but lame is funny.

And, you know, maybe fun if, you
know, we're hanging out together.

We hang out together
all the time.

Right. And therefore we should hang
out together at the winter formal.

Hey. Um,
I'm in ceramics class with you.

I'm Dawn Summers. I forgot if
we had an assignment last week.

I spaced.
Right, um... Hey, Dawn.

Uh, yeah. You know, we did have an
assignment, but I didn't write it down.

I think something to do
with glazes.

As scintillating as the pottery talk
is, I'd better actually go study.

I'm Mike, by the way.

Hi. Uh, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to...

Don't worry about it. I'd better go hit
the books if I'm gonna ace this test.

Nice meeting you though. Cass,
I'll see you later? Yeah.

Hey, Mike,
you're gonna get a "B."

Oh, A-plus, baby.
A-plus.

So, um,
is that any good?

Yeah. Actually, yeah.

What do you have to read it for?
Oh, just for me, I guess.

I kind of stopped reading my homework
assignments. I just read what I want.

That's so cool. I'd do that, but my
sister'd be down my neck in a second.

Summers. Hey, are you the
counselor's little sister?

No. She's my sister.
Lucky me, huh?

No, no. She's really nice. I
actually just saw her this morning.

Oh, really?
What about?

I-I'm sorry.
That's none of my business.

No. I don't care.

So, Mike's a cutie. Are you
guys going to that dance?

No, I don't think so.
Oh.

I mean,
didn't he ask you?

Like a hundred and five times.

- And you said no?
- A hundred and six times.

No, I can't go. I'm not
gonna be around that night.

Cassie's records all show the same thing.
Good grades. Good kid.

Then all of a sudden not so good grades.
Absenteeism.

Comments about apathy
and depression.

So the question is,
what changed?

Right. If she did have some sort of
psychic vision that would explain it.

Do you really think this girl
is some kind of precog?

I don't know. I told you
about the shirt, right?

Buff, you spilled a cup of coffee. I'm
not saying you don't have Slayer grace,

- but it's not the first time.
- I mean, maybe... just maybe...

You're trying so hard to help that you're
seeing paranormal when there's just normal.

Maybe, but maybe not.

You want me to check
her medical records?

Her doctor already sent them.
Let me see.

"Strep throat. Ear infections.
Yeast infections."

None of my business.
No real info here.

- Have you Googled her yet?
- Willow, she's 17.

It's a search engine.
Look.

Okay, let's see
what Cassie Newton pulls up.

Hey, look. Check this.
She's got her own site.

A day and a half of researching and
we finally try looking up her.

Wow. That's a lot of poems.

Poems. Always a sign of
pretentious inner turmoil.

"The sheets above me cool my skin,
like dirt on a madwoman's grave."

"I rise into the moonlight white
and watch the mirror stare."

"The pale fish looks back at me.
Pale fish will never swim."

"My skin is milk
for no man to drink."

"My thighs unused, unclenched.
This body is not ready yet."

"But dirt waits for no woman,
and coins will buy no time."

"I hear the chatter of the bugs.
It's they alone will feast."

Okay. Death really is
on her brain.

- We all deal with death.
- This girl isn't just dealing.

She's giving death a long,
sloppy word-kiss.

She has a yen for the big dirt nap.
I don't know.

I mean, a lot of teens post some
pretty angsty poetry on the Web.

I mean, I even posted a melodramatic
love poem or two back in the day.

- Love poems?
- I'm over you now, sweetie.

- Love poems.
- Look, all I'm saying is that this is normal teen stuff.

You join chat rooms.
You write poetry.

You post Doogie Howser
fan fic.

It's all normal, right? Let's
see what other sites there are.

You guys are way off track.
I've got a hunch on this one.

Oh, wait. No, here's something.
No, that's Phillip Newton.

No, that's her dad.
Open it.

Guys, I'm telling you. I got
this case cracked wide open.

I got the perp fingered. I told
you about Mike Helgenburg, right?

Uh, that's the guy that asked
her to the dance? Right.

The one that keeps asking her to the dance.
I'm thinkin', who likes to be rejected?

Nobody. I'm thinkin', some people
can't handle the rejection.

- I'm thinkin'...
- Hey, I've got something. Oh.

"Drunk and disorderly.
Disturbing the peace."

- There's a lot of charges here.
- Her dad's a drunk?

- A violent drunk?
- We better find out.

I have his address
right... here.

Got your keys?
Yeah.

Guys, I'm telling you. I'm liking
Mike Helgenburg for the perp.

Let's collar him
before he... lawyers up.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
would break down this door.

And Buffy the counselor?

Waits.

Mr. Newton?
That's right.

I work at your daughter's school.
I need to talk to you.

So is she screwing up
her grades again?

'Cause she's, uh, not the
sharpest apple in the barrel.

She's got some problems. But it's, um,
kind of you we wanted to talk about.

What about? We know you've been picked
up by the police a couple of times.

We wanted to know
if you still...

- drink a lot.
- What's that got to do with Cassie?

Frankly, we were worried that you
might drink too much and hurt Cassie.

That's all.

Oh. Well, I see.

That's-That's all?

You just come in here in the middle
of the night into my home...

and start accusing me
of beating on my daughter?

- That's all?
- We just want to make sure that Cassie's...

Well, that's a lie.
Who told you this?

Did Cassie's mother put you up to this?
'Cause I pay my support, okay?

To the dime.

She just wants to take away the one
weekend a month I get to be with my girl.

- Which is when?
- What?

- Which weekend is it?
- I just had her last weekend.

Look, I...

I may not be the greatest dad
in the world,

but I don't
beat up my daughter.

So you won't be
seeing her this Friday then?

Not unless my ex-wife
gets a personality transplant.

Okay.
Okay what?

Okay, now you'll
get out of my house?

Yeah. We will.

It's not him.

He's not the one
who does it.

Thank you for trying, but I probably
shouldn't have told you anything.

You're making such a big deal out of
it, and I want it to all just go away.

Are you talking about
killing yourself?

- No. Of course not.
- Then fight.

Try. There's no point.
I told you.

This doesn't sound like someone
who really wants to live.

You think I want this?
You think I don't care?

Believe me,
I want to be here. Do things.

I wanna graduate
from high school,

and I wanna go to
the stupid winter formal.

I have this friend,

and it would be fun
to go with him.

Just to dance
and hear lame music.

To wear a silly dress
and laugh and stuff.

I'd like to go. There's a lot
of stuff I'd like to do.

I'd love to ice skate
at Rockefeller Center.

And I'd love to see my cousins grow
up and see how they turn out...

'cause they're really mean, and
I think they're gonna be fat.

I'd love to backpack
across the country or...

I don't know,
fall in love.

But I won't.

- I just never will.
- You will.

Cassie, you will. You just
have to tell us what you know.

You have to tell us everything.
Please, help us.

I can't. I just know
it's gonna happen.

I don't know why
and I don't know how,

but something out there
is gonna kill me.

Hey, how we doing?

I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to scare you.

No, that's okay. I just didn't
get much sleep last night.

It's been a long week, huh?

Well, thank God it's Friday.

I can't believe I just said that.
I'll see you later.

"I sit alone at my windowsill.

Trees crackle,
sunshine blares..."

CASSIE "And children
laugh like death."

"Their sharp happiness
is a knife to me."

"One jealous snake
on a windowsill."

"They will be here,
trees and sun..."

"and children with canes
and pruney skin."

"When I am but a memory,
a laugh in the trees of time."

"I sit alone
and try to love them."

"I sit alone, a snake."

"I sit alone
and try to love them."

"I sit alone and laugh."

- Spike, what are you doing?
- Nothing.

If I don't move, if I don't think,
if I don't listen to the voices,

then I won't hurt... much.

- I need to ask you something.
- Don't.

There's a girl. She's in danger,
and she needs your help now.

Time is running out. It's Friday. The
day Cassie said she's gonna die.

I can't.
I can't hear you.

Is there something evil in the school?
Down here maybe?

Spike, please,
do you know anything?

Yes.

There's evil.

Down here.
Right here.

I'm a bad man.

William is a bad man.

I hurt the girl.

Spike, stop it!

What did you do?
I hurt you, Buffy.

And I will pay. I am paying
because I hurt the girl.

Spike. No.

It's not me.
It's a different girl. Okay?

Her name is Cassie Newton.

Please, do you know
anything specific?

Don't-Don't leave me.

Stay here
and help me be quiet.

I think it's worse
when I'm here.

Don't let him
hurt the girl.

Well, there's nothing
in this one.

What do you got?

- Where's your hall pass?
- No hall pass. I got a free period.

You seem kind of upset. Something
on your mind? No. Not really.

Well, I got a lousy "B"
in Egyptian history.

I knew this stuff cold, so that,
you know, that pisses me off.

- You get pissed off a lot?
- No. I...

Let me cut to the chase. I hear you
can't get a date for the winter formal.

Well, look, I know it's your job to talk to kids
with problems, but, honestly, I don't have any.

I'm fine.

All right, look. It's really no big deal. I
have a friend that I really wanted to take.

I don't know. I guess she doesn't see
me that way. She makes me crazy.

- Crazy?
- Yeah. Sometimes I just...

That's-That's funny.
You're Dawn's sister, right?

Uh, that's right.
Dawn is my sister.

That's so weird.
I was just thinking about her.

Yeah, I was thinking if Cassie
won't budge, maybe I'll ask Dawn.

You aren't mad at Cassie with
her rejecting you like that?

Nah. She's a girl, right?

Making boys crazy
is, like, your job description.

You're asking my sister to the dance
and she's your second choice?

I'll be keeping an eye
on you.

Seems like someone's got
quite a coin collection, huh?

- You wanted to see me?
- You have locker number 281?

Yeah, why?

I want you to tell me
what this is...

and what this has to do with
a girl named Cassie Newton?

I don't know. I-It's late.
I'm gonna miss my bus.

I know it's late. That's why I
don't have time to mess around.

So you need to talk to me now.

Believe me, if I knew anything
I'd tell you. I just... don't.

Do you know why
I came back to Sunnydale High?

- To creep me out?
- To help.

I'm a counselor here
because I wanna help.

I know what it's like to walk
these halls and feel lost, alone.

I just wanna
make things better. Connect.

And I'm going to connect with your face
if you don't stop wasting my time...

and help me do my job.

I... Please.

A girl could die.

I guess I know who
you're talking about.

She's some weirdo,
suicidal poet girl.

These guys I know wanna mess with her.
They've got this plan.

- I guess this is good-bye.
- No. I mean, let me walk you home.

Oh, don't worry about it. I'm going
to my mom's. It's kind of far.

Far is good. Dawn, I know
what's going on here.

What? Buffy told you
about me, right?

She told you to pretend
to be my friend? No.

Maybe. Cassie, she was scared.
She wanted to help you.

Well, she can't.
Maybe she can.

She's not like you think. She's
got powers... of helping and...

Look, she was worried and now I'm
worried, and I wasn't pretending at all.

I really wanted to be
your friend.

You are my friend.
I am?

Yeah. Just remember,
I'm not as dumb as I look.

I'm glad.

Hey, Summers.

Listen, Dawn, whatever happens
now it's not your fault, okay?

Summers.
What's up, Peter?

I was just wondering if anyone
had asked you to winter formal?

What? Oh. Uh, no.

Not exactly.

Well, uh,
I was just doing a poll.

I'll see ya.

That guy
is such an ass.

Cassie?

Cassie?

Cassie?

- All present?
- All present.

Then we begin.

Mandell, shut up.

Sorry, dude. It's just so cool.
I mean, we're gonna be rich.

Keep your shorts, all right? We have
to do the ritual if we wanna score.

Okay.

O'Keefe, did you
take care of the fire exits?

Yeah. Anybody tries to bust in
here's gonna get a nasty surprise.

I set up this booby trap my
cousin Ben always used to do...

Then nobody is getting in.

And nobody is getting out.

Dude.

This is our sacrifice.

It's nothing personal.

It's just that you have this
death-chick-suicidal vibe going.

I figure if you disappear,

everybody will just assume you threw
yourself in a river somewhere.

Extinguish.

Almighty Avilas,
please accept our sacrifice.

Please appear before us,
oh mighty soldier of the dark.

Please appear before us and grant
us with infinite riches...

and we will pay you
with our sacrifice.

We kneel before you
with the gift of flesh.

Okay. That... is going on
your permanent record.

- Wait, this is the counselor. What is she doing here?
- It-It was his idea.

Back off. Get back.

Get back,
you stupid bitch.

Oh, you're gonna die.

Do you know how lame
this is?

Bored teenage boys trying to raise
up a demon? Sorry he didn't show.

I bet it's 'cause you forgot the boom
box playing some heavy metal thing...

like Blue Clam Cult?

I think that's the key
to the raising of lame demons.

That lame demon?

Dude, help.

No.

Spike? Here to help.
No hurting the girl.

Untie her.
I'll take care of this.

- Who are you?
- I'm a bad man.

No, no. Please.

She'll tell you.

Someday she'll tell you.

Are you okay?
Uh-huh.

Ow. Ow.

You can't be dead.

Where are my infinite riches?

It bit me!

Come on.

Help. Help me, please.
I'm bleeding.

Sorry. My office hours
are 10:00 to 4:00.

It's all okay now. I hope
you're not too disappointed.

See? You can make a difference.

And you will.

Cassie. Cassie.

Cassie. No.
Come on.

Cassie. Cassie.

How was her mom?

Okay.

As okay as...

She told me their family had a
history of heart irregularities.

But she never told Cassie.

Cassie didn't know?
Then it was fate?

Then she was going to die
no matter what, wasn't she?

It didn't matter
what you did.

She just knew.

She was special.
I failed her.

Uh-uh. No.

You didn't
'cause you tried.

You listened
and you tried.

She died 'cause of her heart,
not 'cause of you.

She was my friend
'cause of you.

I guess sometimes
you can't help.

So what then?

What do you do
when you know that?

When you know that
maybe you can't help?

Grr! Arrgh!