Season 5 Episode 06 - Family

In Willow and Tara's dorm room, an exhausted Willow asks Tara for a story. Inspired by Miss Kitty Fantastico, Tara tells a story about a cat at a pound, and the story ends with Tara and Willow snuggling on the bed. Tara asks, "Do you think Buffy found out anything tonight?"

In a dark Summers home, Buffy tells Giles about Dawn's supernatural origin, of which Dawn is totally unaware. They also discuss Joyce's illness and Buffy's father's lack of participation in the family. Buffy stresses that she will take care of Dawn and Joyce and declares that it would be safer for everyone if they keep Dawn's true nature a secret.

Glory arises from the rubble of the warehouse and declares, "Okay, now I'm upset."

The Scooby Gang moves Buffy out of her dorm room. Tara tries making a joke, but it's so intellectual that even Giles doesn't get it, making Tara feel even more alienated from the group. While Tara takes a load to the car, Willow reminds the group of Tara's birthday surprise party at the Bronze the next night.

At the hospital, Ben the intern talks with another intern about the rash of mental patients checking in. Ben goes to the locker room to leave for the day, when a Lei-Ach demon, with a tongue that would rival Gene Simmons, is about to attack. Glory stops the demon, stating, "I need a favor."

At the Magic Box, Anya shows great enthusiasm for her work, while Xander and Buffy discuss Tara's party and their difficulty finding a gift. The gang is having similar bad luck finding information on Glory. Buffy complains of getting a headache trying to think of everything, so Xander suggests she go a few rounds in the training room.

Scene shift to Spike and Buffy fighting. "You want me, Slayer, come and get me." "Oh, I'm coming right now." Buffy says. Back in reality, Spike "comes" with Harmony, then lies that he was thinking only of her.

Back in the Magic Box, Giles asks if Buffy and Xander are making any progress, and the two make suggestions that have nothing to do with information on Glory. They're talking about gifts for Tara; they don't know what to buy her. "You're in a magic shop, and you can't think what Tara would like?" As the discussion digresses, a hick of a man asks them questions about the spell books on the table when Tara and Willow enter. Tara introduces the Scooby Gang to her big brother Donny who's in town for her birthday. She's not happy to see him.

Tara's father enters, and he's got the Puritan scowl down pat. Tara hugs her dad timidly and refers to him as "Sir" (bad sign). The family, which includes Cousin Beth, makes dinner plans before the breath of icy air leaves the magic shop.

At the Summers house, Riley informs Buffy that he has unpacked for her, for which she is very grateful. When Dawn tries to go to a neighbor's house for dinner, Buffy refuses to let her go. Buffy is in hyper-overprotective mom mode. Riley knows there's more going on, but Buffy refuses to inform him. He leaves, "You've got a lot on your mind. When you decide to let me in on any of it, let me know. (sarcastically) I'll come running."

When Tara enters her dorm room, she finds her disapproving father there complaining of all the witchcraft stuff around the room. "You don't even try to hide it anymore." When they talk about "what's going to happen," he informs Tara that he's taking her home because of the evil inside of her. When she insists that her power doesn't feel evil, he rebuts, "Evil never does." He leaves saying, "Your family loves you, Tara, no matter what. How do you think your friends are gonna feel when they see your true face?"

In Glory's overstuffed closet, the Lei-Ach demon finally awakes. She informs him that she wants him to take care of the girl who has been giving her problems. When he informs Glory that she's been fighting the Slayer, Glory orders the demon to find and kill her.

Willow informs Tara of another meeting of the Scooby Gang, and Tara declines to go, saying that so much is going on. She suggests that Willow give her a progress report in the morning. Willow agrees, saying, "We'll be demon hunters" as she leaves. Tara scours her spell books.

Giles gives the group an update at the Magic Box. During the meeting, Tara — hidden in the training room — casts a spell on the Scooby Gang.

At Willy's Place, the bartender (not Willy) tells a patron that he shouldn't be coming there. The camera shows Riley, who claims he "comes for the ambiance." A gorgeous woman named Sandy sits next to him and starts to flirt with him, but he informs her that "my heart belongs to another. Besides, I don't go out with vampires; they're never interested in my intellect." Sandy is noticeably annoyed with Riley.

Harmony returns to the crypt to tell Spike of her wonderful stealing spree at April Fool's. While out, she heard gossip that a Lei-Ach Demon was recruiting his brethren to kill the Slayer. Spike decides to go get a decent seat to watch the Slayer die.

Cousin Beth meets up with Tara on campus, and Beth berates Tara for not going home to take care of her father and brother. When Beth finds out that Tara cast a spell so her friends wouldn't see the demon part of her, Beth threatens to tell Tara's dad.

A knock is heard on the magic shop door. Willow answers it thinking it is Tara, but she sees no one there — not even the three demons waiting outside the door.

Beth says she's going to tell Tara's father about the spell. Beth is sure that Tara' father will tell her friends about her demon side, and thinks that Tara should tell them first.

The demons are happily surprised that the Scooby Gang can't see them. One of them goes into the training room, where Buffy is hitting the punching bag. She hears one of the demons growl, and starts to fight her invisible foe. Hearing the struggle, Xander leaps up to help, but is stopped in the doorway by another invisible demon. Fighting ensues, and Giles hides Dawn under a desk. Spike arrives to watch. Seeing Buffy in trouble, he starts to enjoy the scene, but soon steps in to help her. After that demon is taken care of, Buffy gets up to go into the shop area. Spike says, "You're welcome," as he fights a second demon, but Buffy can't see either of them. Tara enters the shop, and sees the group struggling to fight a demon they cannot see. She warns Buffy when the third demon is about to strike, then reverses her spell to help them fight. Tara's dad enters the shop as the fight is concluded, and informs the group that Tara is a demon, and he's taking her, because she belongs with her family. Willow, though baffled, doesn't want to let Tara go, and asks her if she wants to leave. Dad presses a tearful Tara, but Buffy intervenes. "If you want to take her Mr. Maclay, you gotta come through me." "And me." Dawn adds. The whole Scooby Gang — minus Spike — backs up Tara. When the cousin says, "I hope you'll be happy hanging around with a disgusting demon," Anya asks, "What kind?" The family doesn't know or care — evil is evil. Spike finally says, "Why don't we make this simple?" and hits Tara. Tara and Spike are both in pain. No demon exists in Tara; it was just a family legend to keep the women in line. The family finally leaves at Tara's insistence.

Tara's birthday party in the Bronze is a blast. Xander buys drinks and makes goo-goo eyes with Anya. Tara loves the crystal ball from Giles, and Dawn presents her with a new broom. Riley shows up, to Buffy's pleasure. When a slow song comes on, Willow asks Tara to dance. During the slow rhythms, Tara confesses that she wasn't sure Willow would like her if Willow met her family. Seeing how far Tara has evolved from her family makes Willow proud of her and love her more. The two embrace as they dance and float in the air.

— Synopsis written by Lori Ann Curley.