WWDD: S2E20 “GO FISH”

Willow and Xander come over to get ready for the beach bonfire. After Dawn finds several excuses to wander into Buffy’s room, Buffy finally gives up and lets her stay. Dawn plays Go Fish with Xander while Willow works on pie chart lesson plans. Dawn thinks Willow is so cool—her school literally lets her teach her own class!

The next morning, Buffy gets picked up by a villainous-looking boy in a Mustang to drive three blocks to Sunnydale High. At school, Cynthia hands Dawn a list of ingredients. After finishing their academic research, they’ve decided to make Buffy a protective charm. Without an actual guide, their plan is to combine everything they’ve learned with sheer optimism. First step: Dawn needs something of Buffy’s. Dawn gets home before Buffy. When the phone rings, she answers for her mom, expecting Pat (as usual). Instead, it’s Principal Snyder looking for Joyce. Buffy sprained a boy’s wrist and nearly broke his nose. Dawn promises to pass along the message and immediately decides not to. Dawn roots around Buffy’s room for something to use for the charm. She settles on one of the cross necklaces from her extensive collection. (Does Mom think Buffy is religious?)

The next morning, Buffy asks Dawn to cover for her—she has a surveillance mission and will be home late. Dawn agrees, offering advice from a spy book she’s reading: Buffy needs a disguise—a magazine to pretend to read and maybe a trench coat. When Buffy later returns smelling like fish after saving (most of) the swim team, Dawn catches her in her room, staring at the bite on her shoulder. Buffy tries to scare her out of being interested, explaining how the swimmers gruesomely ripped off their skin and turned into fish monsters. Dawn listens, completely absorbed, and blurts out, “Cool!” when Buffy’s finished.

Before bed, Dawn helps collect supplies from the medicine cabinet for Buffy, telling Joyce she’s working on a “science experiment” when she asks.