Sunnydale High. Buffy and Dawn sit on the bleachers during lunch and have a sisterly interlude. Dawn wants to know why Buffy is helping Spike if it's not out of pity. Buffy sucks some soda through her straw and doesn't answer. She fiddles with her sunglasses and finally says, "I don't know what I'm feeling. I think I can't stand him but sometimes..." Dawn wants to know if Buffy loves Spike. Buffy denies love, but admits that she does "feel" for him. Dawn is confused by the whole "Buffy loathes Spike, yet spent the better part of last season loathing him between the sheets, while Spike says that he would sacrifice himself for her, but then sacrifices whatever small changes he had made by trying to rape her" thing. Aren't we all, Dawn? Buffy replies, "Spike knew how wrong he was. That's why he went away." Well, problem solved, then. Oh. No, wait. Problem not solved. He came back. Dawn is still skeptical, pointing out that "Xander had a soul when he stood Anya up at the altar." And I see the point they're trying to make here -- that having a soul doesn't automatically make you immune from hurting other people -- but the comparison they just used was so, so inappropriate that it isn't even in the same galaxy. Dumping someone in a public and humiliating fashion isn't a good deed by any stretch of the imagination, but trying to force bits of you inside someone else's body against her will is so much more reprehensible. Plus, Xander has done way worse things than leaving Anya at the altar. Things I'm sure I'd be able to think of if I could just muster enough energy to stay awake. Fortunately, this conversation draws to a close as Buffy decides that her break is over. Buffy gathers up her stuff and leaves as Dawn continues with her rant about how she doesn't understand why people put so much energy into relationships. Her gaze wanders down to the football field as she sees some blond, bland American teenager putting on his letter jacket after practice. The theme music from A Summer Place starts up, and Dawn gazes rapturously at the sight of her teenaged Adonis being unable to reliably aim a stream of water into his mouth. She leans forward as her eyes follow him off the field, then falls off the bleachers with a shriek. Someone mentioned on the boards they felt the show could do this every episode and it wouldn't get old. I'd like to point out that they practically do do this every episode, and I'm sure that someone who cares more than I do could come up with an exhaustive episode list.