Nightmares (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

==Plot==

==Plot==

[[Buffy Summers|Buffy]] ([[Sarah Michelle Gellar]]) experiences a [[nightmare]] of being choked by the [[Master (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Master]] ([[Mark Metcalf]]) but wakes up excited to spend the weekend with her father, [[Hank Summers|Hank]] ([[Dean Butler (actor)|Dean Butler]]). She confides to [[Willow Rosenberg|Willow]] ([[Alyson Hannigan]]) that she feels responsible for her parents' [[divorce]]. During class, [[Tarantula|tarantulas]] crawl out of Wendell's textbook, causing panic in the classroom. Buffy notices a young boy ([[Jeremy Foley (actor)|Jeremy Foley]]) standing in the doorway, apologizing. Underground, the Master tells the [[Anointed One (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Anointed One]] that fear is wonderful — the most powerful force in the world, but one that can be controlled.

[[Buffy Summers|Buffy]] has a nightmare about being choked by the [[Master (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Master]] in his underground lair. Buffy's mother, [[Joyce Summers|Joyce]], shakes her awake, and as Buffy wakes up, she remembers that she is excited to be spending the coming weekend with her [[Hank Summers|father]]. Buffy confides to [[Willow Rosenberg|Willow]] that she thinks she might have something to do with her parents' divorce. In a class, when the teacher asks Wendell to read from the text book, [[tarantula]]s crawl out of it. Buffy sees a boy standing in the doorway, saying that he is sorry.

The next day, as the Master explains to [[Anointed One (Buffyverse)|Collin, the Anointed One]], how wonderful he finds fear, Buffy is nervous about being picked up by her father after school, and her mother calms her down. At school, Willow and [[Xander Harris|Xander]] are worried about the spiders, and want to talk to [[Rupert Giles|Giles]] about it. Giles mutters that he "got lost," seemingly in the stacks of books. Giles has no information on the spiders so the gang goes to talk to Wendell, who explains he has been having recurring spider nightmares.

The next morning, Buffy is nervous about her father picking her up, but [[Joyce Summers|Joyce]] ([[Kristine Sutherland]]) reassures her. The gang asks [[Rupert Giles|Giles]] ([[Anthony Head|Anthony Stewart Head]]) about the spiders, but he suggests they talk to Wendell. Wendell admits that ever since his brother killed his pet spiders while he was away at camp, he's had recurring nightmares about them crawling out of his textbook — though this is the first time it's actually happened.

[[Cordelia Chase|Cordelia]] ([[Charisma Carpenter]]) reminds Buffy of a history test she hasn't studied for. Buffy struggles to find the classroom and is unable to answer any questions. Time seems to accelerate, and the bell rings before she can finish writing her name. Once again, she sees the little boy outside the classroom. He later watches as Laura sneaks into the basement for a smoke break, where she is attacked by a grotesque man who says, "Lucky nineteen."

In the meantime, [[Cordelia Chase|Cordelia]] lets Buffy know about a history test that Buffy has not studied for. Buffy has a hard time even finding the class, and the test is over in what feels like a moment; Buffy has not even filled in her name. She once again sees the same boy outside the classroom. As break-time begins, a girl named Laura takes a smoking break in the basement. An ugly man comes out of the shadows and says, "lucky nineteen" before assaulting Laura.

Later, Buffy and Giles interview Laura in the hospital, where they hear about "lucky nineteen." They also find the young boy from before (Billy), in a coma due to a similar attack. More nightmarish instances start to occur, starting with Xander finding that all of his clothing has vanished and he is naked in his classroom, wearing nothing but his boxers. Giles now cannot read but he finds a picture of Billy. Cordelia's hair becomes a disheveled, spiky mess, her designer clothes become horribly drab and nerdy, and she is physically forced to join the school [[chess]] club. Buffy realizes that she had been seeing Billy at school while he was still in a coma at the hospital. Giles theorizes she might have been seeing Billy's [[astral projection]].

At the hospital, Buffy and Giles interview Laura and learn from a doctor that Billy — the boy Buffy saw at school — has been in a [[coma]] after a similar attack.

Buffy's father shows up and calmly tells her that she is at fault for her parents' divorce, because she is such a difficult child and he can't stand being around her. Then he scolds her for crying at his hurtful accusations and tells her he never wants to see her again. The Scooby Gang quickly figures out that their nightmares are becoming reality, including Xander's nightmare of being chased by a clown and Willow's nightmare of appearing on stage, expected to perform [[Madama Butterfly]]. Buffy finds Billy's astral body, and then they are both found by the man who assaulted Laura. Nightmares plague everyone and Buffy learns Billy has experienced some sort of punishment for poor baseball skills. They evade the scary man and find themselves in a graveyard where The Master confronts Buffy, and buries her alive.

At school, [[Xander Harris|Xander]] ([[Nicholas Brendon]]) discovers he is only wearing his underwear in front of the class and runs out. In the library, Giles tells Buffy he has forgotten how to read. However, he discovers a newspaper article revealing that Billy has been in a coma for a week — despite Buffy having seen him several times. Giles theorizes she may be seeing Billy's [[astral projection]].

Meanwhile, Willow, Xander and Giles find Buffy's grave. Giles explains that it is his worst nightmare to let Buffy die on his watch. Buffy then crawls out of the grave as a vampire, revealing her worst nightmare is dying and becoming a vampire herself. The gang decides that they must wake up Billy from his coma to stop the nightmares. In the hospital, they find Billy's astral body near Billy's comatose body. As the ugly man finds him, Buffy confronts him. After knocking him out, she encourages Billy to face him. Billy wakes up and everything is back to normal.

Buffy's father arrives and tells her that she is responsible for her parents' divorce, calling her a difficult child he can no longer stand to be around. As Buffy begins to cry, he says he never wants to see her again. After he leaves, Buffy notices Billy watching her from a distance.

Billy's [[Little League Baseball|Kiddie League]] coach shows up, and refers to him as his "lucky nineteen". Buffy realizes he must be the "ugly man" who put Billy into a coma after they lost the game. He tries to run after Buffy confronts him, but is stopped by Giles and Xander and arrested. The episode ends when Buffy and her father leave for their weekend together, the previous confrontation just an unreal nightmare.

Xander and Willow meet in the library and realize their worst nightmares are coming true. Giles suspects Billy has crossed over from the nightmare world he was trapped in, bringing it along with him.

In the gym, Billy tells Buffy that something bad happened to him after a baseball game, though he can't remember exactly what. Suddenly, the deformed man appears and attacks Buffy. As they run away, Billy explains he was responsible for his baseball team losing and that it is "bad" to lose at games. Moments later, they find themselves transported to a cemetery at night.

Meanwhile, the nightmares continue to manifest at school. Cordelia, now with frizzy hair and nerdy clothes, is dragged away and forced to join the [[chess]] club. Xander walks down a hallway lined with chocolate bars, eating happily until he is attacked by a knife-wielding clown from his sixth birthday party. Willow finds herself starring in the ''[[Madama Butterfly]]'' opera and panics because she doesn't know her lines. Overcome by stage fright, she runs away.

In the cemetery, Buffy and Billy examine a freshly dug grave. The Master appears, comments that Buffy is prettier than the previous [[Slayer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Slayer]], and [[Premature burial|buries her alive]] in a coffin. Still being chased by the clown, Xander teams up with Willow and Giles. He decides to confront the clown and punches him. When they discover Buffy's grave, Giles explains that Buffy's death is his nightmare. Buffy then crawls out of the grave as a [[vampire]]. They decide to wake Billy up from his coma to stop the nightmares.

At the hospital, the group finds Billy's astral form watching over his body. When the deformed man appears, Buffy defeats him, encouraging Billy to face his fear. Billy wakes from the coma, and everything returns to normal. Shortly after, Billy's [[Little League Baseball|Little League]] coach arrives and refers to him as his "lucky nineteen." Buffy realizes he must be the "ugly man" who put Billy into a coma after they lost the game. The coach tries to escape but is stopped by Giles and Xander and taken into custody.

When Buffy's father arrives to pick her up for the weekend, Willow asks Xander if he was still attracted to Buffy as a vampire. He first denies it but then admits, "I'm sick. I need help." Willow agrees.

==Production==

==Production==