Season 5 Episode 14 - Crush

The Bronze is reopening after the restoration of the loft area destroyed by Olaf the Troll. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya are enjoying the dance floor while Buffy looks on. Suddenly, Spike — dressed much nicer than usual — sits down next to the Slayer. He bemoans the higher prices at the bar due to the restoration, and Buffy suggests he find a new place to patronize. Although Spike considers the option, he doesn't take Buffy's hint and makes himself comfortable. Buffy demands to know why he's sitting with her pretending they're talking-buddies. Spike says he just wanted to give her some company. When her look informs him that his company isn't welcome, he gets up, but but then he tries again. Because he helped her fight Glory, he feels Buffy should cut him some slack. She's unimpressed. The song being done, the rest of the Scooby Gang comes back to the table. Xander kicks Spike out of his chair. Spike reluctantly leaves but makes some sweeping gesture toward the table. Because it's payday, Xander offers to buy drinks for the group — until he notices that his change from the last round is missing from the table. Over at the bar, Xander sees Spike making a purchase. Willow requests a water because she's still having headaches from the teleportation spell she and Tara did on Glory. Buffy states that because this is the first chance they've had for some relaxation, she would prefer they didn't talk about Glory. Tara agrees, "let's just refer to her as..." and Buffy shouts out "Ben" because she has just spotted the hospital intern, and she excuses herself to go talk to him. Xander is berating Spike for taking his money, but the inert vampire is distracted by Buffy talking with another guy.

At the Sunnydale Train Station, the porter boards a train to discover that several people have been murdered. Then he is attacked himself by an unseen foe.

Buffy arrives home to find Joyce and Dawn watching TV as Giles reads a book at a desk. They ask if she had fun, and despite Willow's headaches and Spike's cameo, she did. Dawn is interested in the fact that Spike was there. Joyce is relieved that Buffy's home, as she didn't feel safe without the Slayer nearby. Giles raises his eyebrows and Buffy indicates him to Joyce with her eyes. Joyce tries to cover, but Giles is not insulted. He knows he's no substitute for the Slayer. As he leaves, Buffy asks about Dawn. She's doing better. Buffy says they've been going easy on her, and Giles states the best thing is to behave as normally as possible. Good. Buffy yells at Dawn for taking her blue cashmere sweater.

Spike is stroking said sweater in the privacy of his crypt when Harmony tries to persuade him to go to bed... but not to sleep. Spike isn't interested, so she suggests playing a game. Harmony is next seen with her hair long and down like Buffy's. In fact, she's pretending (rather badly) to be the Slayer and stalking Spike, who grabs her in his arms.

In school the next day, Tara, Willow and Buffy are discussing The Hunchback of Notre Dame when Buffy notices a newspaper headline: Six Found Murdered on Train at Sunnydale Station. Because of the neck traumas reported, the three determine that it was vampires.

Spike is coming out of the tunnels below his crypt when he is surprised by a visitor: Dawn. He wonders if Buffy knows she's here. Of course not. Spike tells her to leave, but she wants to stay. The two talk, and Dawn appreciates that Spike talks to her as a person. She feels safe with him, she says, which makes Spike cough, "Take that back!" Dawn tries to placate Spike by saying he's tough. Even Buffy thinks so. The Slayer's always wondering what she's going to do if Spike ever gets that chip out of his head. Spike, interested, asks, "What else does Buffy say about me?"

Buffy announces that she's home, and Joyce asks if Dawn is with her. Dawn didn't come home from school. Buffy goes off to find her.

Spike is telling Dawn scary stories reminiscent of the style of ghost stories around a campfire. When Buffy bursts in to ask Spike for help finding Dawn, the Slayer demands to know what is going on. Spike immediately changes the story to a happy ending, much to Dawn's disappointment. Buffy and Dawn leave, and Buffy lectures her younger sister about how dangerous Spike is. Dawn protests. Buffy realizes that Dawn has a crush on Spike. Dawn points out that she doesn't have a shot at Spike because Spike is in love with Buffy. Buffy is baffled.

Xander and Buffy are checking out the murder scene on the train. As they search for clues, Buffy attempts to ask Xander for advice on Spike's crush on Buffy. Xander laughs and dismisses the vampire's crush as entertaining. He asks how Dawn knows about Spike, and Buffy tells Xander that Dawn has a crush on Spike. He's astounded: Dawn has a crush on big funny Xander, not Spike! They leave the train because they can't find any clues. Too bad they didn't look in the luggage rack — they would have seen a makeshift bed and a porcelain doll.

In the Summers' kitchen, Joyce is telling an anecdote about the gallery to Dawn and Spike. Buffy enters at the end of it and is annoyed with Spike's presence. He says he's there on business: he's got a lead on the vampire who hit the train. He'll show Buffy the warehouse where two vamps are holed up.

The vampire and the Slayer sit in his car like they're on a stakeout. Spike reaches into the glove compartment and pulls out a flask. He drinks and offers it to a grossed out Buffy. "It's bourbon." he says. She's still grossed out. He puts the flask away. He starts singing a Ramones tune. As Buffy is about to ask why Spike is doing this, the two vampires show up. Slayer and assistant enter the warehouse, and the vamps flee upon seeing who entered their place. Buffy notices that the two have nested here; they couldn't have attacked the train because the attacker was a newcomer. Buffy yells at Spike for wasting her time and walks away. When she approaches the door, Spike holds it open for her. She demands to know what is going on. Is this a date? Spike tries to cover, but unsuccessfully. Buffy's disgusted. Spike tries to tell her that he loves her, but Buffy stops him. She refuses to talk, despite Spike's imploring.

A dejected Spike returns to crypt and realizes someone is already there: Drusilla has come to make everything right again.

After a recap of the gossip from LA regarding Angel and Darla, Drusilla professes that she wants them all to be a family again. Spike doesn't want to go back to LA; he's been there and done that. He claims he likes Sunnydale, but Drusilla knows the truth about the chip. She insists that Spike is really a killer, and no little tinkertoy can stop him. But the pain is searing, he explains. Drusilla tells him it's all in his head; the electricity is a lie. Harmony makes her presence known by yelling and is disgusted to think that Spike has brought in a Drusilla look-alike for another sex game. Spike informs her this is the real Drusilla. Harmony gives her an earful until Spike shuts her up by literally throwing her out.

Buffy is in her living room talking with Joyce and Willow about Spike and his love obsession. They're worried that he could become dangerous, but Buffy tries to blow it off. The two advisors want Buffy to make sure that she's broken him off completely.

Spike and Drusilla go out to the Bronze. They spot a yummy snack in the loft, and it's not that onion thing that Spike raves about.

Joyce insists that Buffy go now to set Spike straight. Willow offers to go with her, but Buffy will take care of this herself. However, there is something that Willow can do for her while Buffy is gone...

Drusilla and Spike approach a couple making out in the loft of the Bronze. Drusilla snaps the neck of the female and tosses her body to Spike. She snaps the head of the male and starts drinking. Spike is reluctant at first, but then he puts on his vamp face and drinks.

Buffy enters Spike's crypt and can't find him, so she goes below to search the tunnel. She explores and discovers the mannequin and several pictures and drawings of her. She's astonished and climbs out of the tunnel, but Spike is at the top of the steps, blood still on his lips. Drusilla is also there, with a taser, and shocks Buffy into unconsciousness. Dru suggests tying Buffy up and hands Spike the taser. He shocks Dru into unconsciousness.

Buffy wakes to discover that she's chained up, but Drusilla is also restrained. Spike wants to prove his love for Buffy by killing Drusilla for her. However, that doesn't prove anything to Buffy other than Spike is a sick, miserable vampire whom she should have dusted a long time ago. Spike ups the stakes: if Buffy doesn't admit that there is something between her and Spike, he'll untie Drusilla and let her kill the Slayer. Buffy tells him the only chance he had with her was when she was unconscious. He's furious and wonders — loudly — what's wrong with women. He blames Drusilla for leaving him. He knows his feelings for Buffy are wrong. During his rant, Harmony enters and shoots a crossbow bolt at him, but misses his heart. Now it's her turn to rant. As she reloads the crossbow, Spike attacks and disarms her. During the fight, Drusilla undoes her bonds, and attacks Buffy, who puts up a pretty good defense, despite being chained. Spike knocks down Harmony, then knocks down Drusilla, and unlocks Buffy's chains. Drusilla and Harmony each get up and leave in turn, giving vocal pot-shots at Spike as they go. Buffy turns to Spike and punches him so hard that he falls into his display of Buffy's pictures. He chases after her as she walks home. As she enters her house, she tells him that she wants him out of her life. Spike is insistent that she can't shut him out, until he tries to cross the threshold and can't. He's shocked to discover that Buffy has had his standing invitation revoked.

— Synopsis written by Lori Ann Curley.