Buffy begins walking through the mall with Dawn, who is strapped into a stroller that Buffy had obtained by the front of the mall (some malls have strollers for parents who don’t have them).
She’s trying to keep her cool, but finds that task difficult because Dawn keeps kicking and struggling against the straps in the stroller.
Buffy (losing her cool): Dawn, I’m warning you...stop this right now!
Teenage Dawn (thinking): That’s easy for you to say, Buffy. You don’t have to deal with a wet diaper.
Buffy wheels Dawn into the baby store with Dawn continuing to kick and struggle against the straps.
A cute salesgirl, about 18, comes up to Buffy.
She’s got brown hair and brown eyes (she sort of looks like Alexis Bledel from “Gilmore Girls”)
Salesgirl: Hi, there; is there something I could help you find today?
Buffy: Yes, I’m trying to find clothes for my little sister here. Do you have anything that would fit a 2-year-old?
Salesgirl: Actually we do.
The salesgirl leads Buffy, who is pushing Dawn as well, over to a rack with several cute dresses and pants.
Salesgirl: The pants are good because they’ve got snaps along the legs if you ever need to change her diaper in a hurry.
Buffy: Well, we’ll take some of those dresses and a pair of those pants.
Buffy takes a dress down from the rack and shows it to Dawn.
It’s a very ugly green color and it’s got blue polka dots.
Buffy (cooing): What’d’ya think, Dawnie? Ya like this one?
Dawn wails.
Salesgirl (smiling): She’s very fussy about clothes, isn’t she?
Buffy: No, it’s not the clothes. It’s almost her naptime and we’ve just been walking around for hours.
Teenage Dawn (thinking): Liar.
Dawn continues wailing loudly.
People begin to stare at Buffy, as she slowly begins to get embarrassed.
Salesgirl: Well, if you like those clothes, we’ve got a lot more on the way. Would you like to be informed of when they arrive?
Buffy: Sure.
Salesgirl: Okay, then. Just follow me and we’ll ring this up.
Buffy: Great.
Buffy takes a few more dresses; pink with blue trim; orange with green spots; and a red pantsuit with blue stripes down the sides.
Dawn continues to cry as Buffy wheels her to the counter.
After paying for their purchases, Buffy wheels Dawn out of the store and takes her over to a bench.
She parks the stroller there and sits down.
She unbuckles the stroller and picks up Dawn.
Buffy (annoyed): That’s enough, Dawn. You embarrassed me in that store, now...you’re gonna pay the price.
Teenage Dawn (thinking): Oh, no...Buffy...please, not that...
Buffy puts Dawn over her knee and begins spanking her as Dawn begins to wail loudly.
Teenage Dawn (thinking/crying): Ow! Stop it!! Buffy, stop it!!!
As Buffy is spanking Dawn, she doesn’t, nor does Dawn, hear that Dawn has soiled her diaper.
Buffy (thinking): Great. Nice work, Buffy.
Buffy puts Dawn back into her stroller and straps her in.
Buffy begins to wheel the stroller to the changing room.
Dawn looks up at the symbol on the door, a mother changing her baby, and gets a frightened look on her face.
Teenage Dawn (thinking): Take it easy...she’s probably just gonna dress me.
Buffy wheels Dawn into the changing room and, after unbuckling Dawn from the stroller, picks her up and lays her on the changing table.
Buffy looks at the clothes she bought, then looks back at Dawn.
Buffy (thinking): Well, as long as I’m here...might as well kill two birds with one stone.
Teenage Dawn (thinking, happy): Thank God...I can finally get some clothes!
Buffy: Now hold still, Dawnie. I’d hate to have to spank you twice in the last half-hour.
Buffy rips a diaper tab from Dawn’s dirty diaper.
Dawn gets a look of fear on her face, looking up at Buffy.
Teenage Dawn (thinking): No! I can’t have! I couldn’t have...I’m not a baby! No!
Dawn begins to squirm on the table.
Buffy: Dawn, hold still!
Buffy places a hand on Dawn’s stomach as she continues changing her diaper.
Dawn continues squirming around.
Buffy (sighs): Fine, Dawn. I was trying to show you some compassion, but you wanna make this hard for me? Fine, you’re only making it harder on yourself.
She fastens the safety strap around Dawn’s waist, causing her to scream and cry, as she continues to squirm around on the table.
Also, to be safe and to not draw attention to Dawn as well as her, she places a pacifier in Dawn’s mouth to quiet her down.
Buffy (sighs): Dawnie, it’s okay. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to yell...just calm down...we’ll get this done quick, don’t worry.
Dawn continues to cry, but her squirming has lessened.
Buffy: Dawnie, please...it’ll be over really soon, I promise you.
TIGHT SHOT:
DAWN’S FACE
FLASHBACK:
13 YEARS AGO - SUMMERS HOUSE - NURSERY
We see a frustrated Joyce trying to change a toddler Dawn's wet diaper as Dawn kicks and struggles on the changing table.
Joyce (angry): Dawnie, hold still! (sighs, calm) I promise you, this will be over very soon. We’ll get this done as quick as possible, trust me. It's okay, sweetie...shh...
END FLASHBACK:
PRESENT DAY - SAME LOCATION
Dawn continues to wail and cry.
Teenage Dawn (thinking, sniffling): Mommy...
Dawn continues to wail as Buffy changes her.
A girl walks into the bathroom and looks at Buffy and Dawn.
Girl (thinking): Probably just some crazed mom who can’t keep their kid under control.
She goes to the toilet.
Buffy continues changing Dawn as the girl does her business.
The girl finishes and steps out of the bathroom, going to the sink to wash up.
Once she finishes, she heads toward the door.
Buffy (off-screen): Dawn, that’s enough! Hold still right now!
She slaps Dawn’s thigh, causing Dawn to cry loudly, even through the pacifier.
The girl walks up to her, not facing her.
Girl: Okay, that’s enough! I had no problem when you were changing your kid, and the kid was givin’ you crap, but I really gotta problem with you hittin’ her! Where do you get off, lady?! Huh?!
Buffy turns around to face her.
Girl (surprised): Oh my God.
Buffy (after a beat, sighs): Hello, Faith.
TIGHT SHOT:
BUFFY'S FACE
FADE TO BLACK
Cast List for This Chapter
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers (voice only)
Alexis Bledel as Salesgirl
Kristine Sutherland as Joyce Summers (flashback)
Eliza Dushku as Faith Lehane
Notes for this Chapter
Return of Eliza Dushku since last appearing in Season 4’s “Who Are You”. Alexis Bledel (the salesgirl) would later return as her “Gilmore Girls” character Lorelai “Rory” Gilmore in Episode 20. We see a flashback from Dawn’s mind [using the memories the monks implanted] with her mother changing her diaper with Dawn as a two-year-old giving her the exact same trouble she was giving Buffy in the changing room at that moment. We notice that no matter what she says concerning it, Dawn still tremendously misses her mother. Dawn seems to be slipping in terms of her state of mind since she cried so much while being changed, Buffy was forced to place a pacifier in her mouth.