Principal Wood walks up onto the Summers's porch and, encountering Faith, asks if "the big meeting" has started yet. They both realize who they're talking to, and Wood again asks if he's missed the start of the meeting. What's his big hang-up there? Why doesn't he just go in and check? Faith assures him that he hasn't missed anything yet. She explains her bruises as cop-inflicted, then adds a dig about also getting punched by someone "who just thinks she's a cop." "It's my most favorite of all my current bruises," she snarks. I wish they had kept Wood's retort in the shooting script: "I have no favorite bruise. I love them all the same." Wood wants to know if Faith is going to "ice" Buffy now. What a dork. Faith gives herself a metaphorical pat on the back, and Wood asks, "For what? For not killing Buffy?" Hell, yeah! In fact, forget the pat on the back. Faith deserves a frickin' parade for not killing Buffy after that insufferably snotty punch in the alley. Faith explains she's doing a whole turning the other cheek routine these days, because "other things matter more." Wood suggests that perhaps Faith is worried about Buffy (and it's about time someone is), but Faith shrugs that off. Wood thinks he's right, because he claims to read people well. Then there's some dialogue wherein Faith establishes that Wood walked quite a long way from his house to the Summers house, at night, alone. She suggests that he must be looking for a fight and that he might have some "bigger issues" than Buffy. Wood stares at her rather appreciatively; Faith just says, "I read people too." A car pulls up in the driveway. Faith observes, "Xander's home."

Gilroy. Mission Nuestra Señora Del Ajo Sagrado -- one of the lesser-known California missions. Andrew and Spike enter the mission. The place seems deserted until a figure in dark robes rushes out of a side door and attacks Andrew. Then there's -- how you say? Ah, yes. Fighting. Spike gets the better of the robed figure and yanks off its hood. Instead of the Bringer we might've expected (if we bothered to pay any attention to scenes featuring either Spike or Andrew), the attacker is actually a fairly normal-looking guy, who just happens to have the mark of Caleb's ring branded onto his face. Dramatic Dissonant Strings Of Finding A Clue screech on the soundtrack.

Summers living room. Giles mopes against the mantelpiece under a banner that reads, "Welcome home." The room is filled with Junior Misses (and Dawn), still all dressed up from their night out. Xander comes in, flanked by Anya and Willow, his (lack of) eye still covered by white bandages. The soundtrack tells us to be very, very sad. Xander is surprised to see everyone there, and Kennedy explains, "We didn't have time to do more. You have to pretend there's a big party here." You mean, you didn't have time to do more because you were all out getting drunk at the Bronze -- right, Kennedy? And I'm totally confused as to what event was really organized for this night. Wood shows up for a "big" meeting, but Faith took the girls out and so would've missed it, but it's also a big welcome home for Xander? Or was the big meeting Wood was invited to called at the last minute by Buffy? Dawn rushes to Xander and gives him a huge hug. As she leads him to a chair, Xander tries to crack a little joke about being okay without a party because he usually ends up rebuilding after them anyway. Xander is more subdued than usual, and I'd guess that Nick Brendon is playing him as "zonked on painkillers and really depressed." Then Buffy walks in, and it's unclear if she just arrived home or has been there all along. Anyway, she gives a little "welcome home, Xander," with no hug or anything, and then launches into her patented all-about-Buffy routine. She says she wanted Xander to be home to hear what she has to say, as if her upcoming awful plan based on pure speculation will somehow really make his night and take his mind off his disfigurement. She continues, "I think you'll be interested in what I found out." You meant to say "guessed" there, I think. Buffy says she has "figured out" some things about the wine cellar at the Free-Range Bringer Farm and Sunnydale Winery. Giles looks at her with his surprise face. "We're going back in," declares Buffy.