Season: Episode 1 of Season 3
Original Air Date: 09/29/1998
Written by: Joss Whedon
Directed by: Joss Whedon

<b>Notes:</b>

Buffy, working as a waitress under an assumed name, foils a demon plot to enslave marginal LA youth.

<b>Plot Highlights:</b>

Scooby slayage sans Slayer. Ricky & Lily. First day of school: Oz didn't graduate, Cordelia & Xander's reunion flops & no Buffy. Lily remembers Buffy. Joyce blames Giles. Ricky goes missing, Lily turns to Buffy. Cordelia is bait; Cordelia-vamp-Xander sandwich turns cozy when the vamp dusts. Buffy & Lily visit 'Hell'. Buffy cedes her alias, her job & her apartment to Lily & returns home to her mother.

<b>Quotes:</b>

(Summers house. Knock on the door. Joyce opens it to find Giles there.)

JOYCE: Uh, hello.

GILES: Hello. Um, may I... (gestures inside)

JOYCE: Oh, uh, of course. Come on in.

GILES: Thank you.

(slowly walks into the living room)

GILES: I've, uh, just come back from Oakland. A friend of mine called with a lead. Stories about someone fighting vampires. It, uh, didn't pan out, I'm afraid.

JOYCE: No Buffy.

GILES: No vampires. Bunch of school kids in heavy mascara listening to extremely silly music.

JOYCE: Well, thank you for going. I can hardly, uh... I can hardly leave the house. I'm just afraid she'll call and she'll need my help.

GILES: Buffy is the most capable child I've ever known. I mean, she may be confused, unhappy, but I honestly believe she's in no danger.

JOYCE: I just wish I could talk to her. The last thing we did was fight.

GILES: Joyce, you mustn't blame yourself for her leaving.

JOYCE: I don't. I blame you. You've been this huge influence on her, guiding her. You had this whole relationship with her behind my back. I feel like you've taken her away from me.

GILES: I didn't make Buffy who she is.

JOYCE: And who exactly is she?