C22

In a secluded playground, Drusilla approaches a young boy named James, who is waiting for his mom. Just as Drusilla begins to engage with him, Angel arrives and sends James home, realizing that Drusilla and Spike remaining in Sunnydale will inevitably lead to a confrontation. He tries to persuade Drusilla to leave town with Spike, but she refuses. Buffy, seeing them from a distance, feels a pang of jealousy and curiosity.The next day, at school, Ms. Calendar teases Giles about an upcoming date she has planned but refuses to share details. Buffy, reporting on her patrolling to Giles, omits any mention of Angel. During class, Buffy passes notes to Willow about seeing Angel with Drusilla, sparking further intrigue and jealousy. In the hallway, Xander attempts to join the conversation but is interrupted when another young man surprises Buffy. She introduces him as Billy Fordham, an old friend from Los Angeles. Ford explains he's finishing his senior year at Sunnydale High due to his father's job transfer. They make plans to go to the Bronze that night.At the Bronze, Ford entertains Willow and Xander with embarrassing stories about Buffy. While getting drinks, Buffy runs into Angel, who lies about his activities the previous night. Suspicious, Buffy introduces Angel to Ford, who immediately distrusts him. As Buffy and Ford leave, Angel is left confused by Buffy's apparent anger.In the alley behind the Bronze, Buffy hears suspicious noises and sends Ford back to retrieve her purse. Ford instead follows Buffy, witnessing her stake a vampire. He reveals he knows she's the Slayer, having found out before she was expelled from Hemery High. That night, Ford visits a Gothic-style club filled with teenagers. He discusses a plan with his friend Marvin, aka Diego, hinting at a secret agenda.Meanwhile, Angel shows up at Willow's bedroom, asking for help investigating Ford. Willow quickly finds that Ford isn't registered at Sunnydale High. Angel leaves before her mom finds him, but Willow agrees to keep the secret from Buffy. The next day, Willow is jittery around Buffy and Ford, but Buffy dismisses it as coffee jitters. Buffy and Ford run into Giles, who suspects Ford knows Buffy's secret.That night, Buffy gives Ford a tour of Sunnydale, leading to an encounter with two vampires on campus. They get separated, and Ford captures a vampire, demanding information before letting her go. He lies to Buffy about killing the vampire.Angel, Willow, and Xander visit Ford's Gothic club, noticing its pro-vampire theme. They meet Chanterelle, a girl who idolizes vampires, but Angel dismisses her beliefs. Their conversation is overheard by Diego. Buffy later recognizes Drusilla from Giles's research and confronts him about her presence in Sunnydale. They are interrupted by a vampire stealing a book.At the Bric & Broc factory, Ford proposes a deal to Spike: turn him into a vampire in exchange for the Slayer. Later, Angel visits Buffy to warn her about Ford, but she confronts him about Drusilla. Angel reveals his dark history with Drusilla, deeply upsetting Buffy. Despite her anger, Buffy listens as Angel warns her about Ford's vampire cult.The next day, Ford invites Buffy to hang out but refuses to share his plans. Buffy decides to confront Ford at his club, where he reveals his plan to become a vampire due to his terminal brain cancer. He plans to sacrifice the club members to achieve this.At sunset, Spike and his gang arrive. Buffy fights Ford, knocking him out. She uses Drusilla as a bargaining chip to stop Spike and save the club members. Ford awakens and demands Spike fulfill their deal.A few nights later, Buffy and Giles stand over Ford's grave. Buffy reflects on the complexities of distinguishing friends from foes. When Ford rises as a vampire, Buffy stakes him. She asks Giles if life ever gets easier, and he lies to comfort her, knowing the harsh truth.