WWDD: S2E13 “SURPRISE”

In Dawn’s dreams, a dark-haired English woman watches her sleep. She smiles and sings to Dawn--"such a pretty little green thing, all shiny and bright.” Dawn tries to move, to scream for Buffy, but nothing happens. The woman leans close and her face shifts. When she finally pulls away, there's blood on her lips. Dawn's vision dims, leaving her helpless to watch the woman drift toward Buffy’s room. “Happy birthday, Buffy,” the voice croons before Dawn startles awake.

At school, she can’t shake the dream, so she stays busy. It’s Buffy’s birthday, so during art class, she gathers supplies—charcoal, scraps of paper, anything she can use for later. When she gets back to her station, she finds another note, written on a piece of wide-lined composition paper. “Tomorrow, after school, the park with the playground.” She tries not to react, but her eyes dart around the room, cataloging her fellow students.

That night, Buffy patrols while Dawn works on her gift, deciding Buffy’s stakes could use sharpening. Plastic-handled scissors, a pencil sharpener, and sheer determination leave wood shavings everywhere. Angel interrupts, looking for Buffy. They discuss Buffy's birthday and Dawn is thrilled to learn he likes art. Dawn excitedly lends him the school's charcoal and suggests he draw something for Buffy. Dawn decides he's okay.

Buffy wakes up the next morning on her birthday to find Dawn hovering with a shoebox full of stakes in various states of sharpness. Dawn barely sticks around, telling Joyce she’s staying after school for a yearbook meeting and spends the school day waiting for the last bell. When school finally ends, she runs to the park. Dawn spots a figure near the swings and her stomach flips. She’s small, unmistakably nervous, and clutches a page from the Dawnmeister Chronicles to her chest. Dawn stops short as she places the face. The witch costume. Halloween. “Cynthia?” she questions.

Somewhere across town, Buffy’s birthday is about to change everything.