FOREVER
Buffy selects a casket for her mother with Giles and Dawn. Dawn expresses her
concern about Buffy's choice, worried that their mother may not appreciate the
choice. Later, the gang gathers for dinner at the Summers's residence and discusses
plans for the funeral, excluding Dawn from any decision making. Briefly, they
discuss how Buffy's father has remained out of reach, then Dawn suggests that
she stay with Willow after the funeral is over.
Spike brings flowers to the Summers home but runs into Willow and Xander on his
way. Xander gives the vampire a hard time, but Spike makes it clear that the
flowers are a sincere gesture as he actually liked Joyce. A small group of
people including the entire Scooby Gang gathers at a cemetery during the day
for Joyce's funeral. Dawn leaves with Tara and Willow as the rest of the crowd
also move away. Hours later, after the sun has set, Buffy still stands at the
grave and Angel appears beside her. Dawn is still having a difficult time
accepting the loss of her mother, so she asks Willow and Tara to help her
perform a spell that will bring Joyce back. Willow and Tara are shocked and
refuse, explaining that it is wrong to mess with matters of life and death with
witchcraft.
In bed, Anya explains to Xander how special it is to be able to have children
and how sex has become much more than it used to be. Buffy and Angel talk about
the loss of Joyce and Angel does his best to comfort Buffy when she talks about
the events as they played out and how it will all affect her future. Buffy asks
him to stay with her forever and the two kiss sweetly, but pull away, knowing
nothing more can happen. He stays with her for the remaining moments before the
sun rises. Ben encounters Jynx and stresses the fact that he will not help
Glory and he is tired of her games. He makes a comment that leads Jynx to
conclude that the Key is human and worried about Glory, he stabs the minion
with a knife.
The next morning, Dawn is sulking, still upset that her friends won't help her,
but as Willow and Tara are leaving for breakfast, Willow magically moves a book
on the bookshelf to make it noticeable. Alone, Dawn notices the book titled,
"History of Witchcraft" standing out amongst the others. Later, at
the magic shop, Dawn searches through books, sneaking up to the second level
when Giles tells her that's where he keeps the most dangerous books. She leaves
unnoticed with several items. While collecting dirt at Joyce's grave site that
night, Dawn is caught by Spike who shocks her by offering to help and demanding
that Buffy never find out.
Meanwhile, Glory fumes about Ben after Jynx returns to her wounded. She quickly
cheers up when he informs her that the Key is human. Spike takes Dawn to a man
named Doc for help in ressurecting Dawn's mother. He provides them with all the
supplies and information he has, tells them of the other materials he does not
have and advises Dawn that the results could not be what she wants. He mentions
the necessity for a picture of Joyce which he says will break the spell if it
is torn. Spike and Dawn leave to find a Ghora demon and steal one of its eggs
for the spell. He plays interferance with the demon while Dawn gets the egg,
even getting wounded in the process.
Tara realizes that a witchcraft book is missing from the shelf and after
concluding that Dawn took it, she and Willow decide to call Buffy. Buffy hears
about Dawn's spell just as she is finishing it upstairs in her room. Buffy
confronts her and the two girls yell at eachother and cry about their different
ways of dealing with their mother's death. A shadow of a figure passes by the
front window followed by a knocking on the door. Buffy goes to open the door,
but Dawn tears up the picture first. The sisters hug and collaspe to the floor,
crying.