Spike brings in three professional bounty hunters to eliminate Buffy while she ponders on what her profession might be if her fate wasn't already sealed.

Buffy joins forces with another Slayer in hopes of saving Angel from the clutches of Spike and Drusilla.

As the Christmas holiday approaches, Angel is tormented by evil apparitions who want him to eliminate Buffy.

Feeling useless due to his lack of supernatural powers, Xander becomes obsessed with becoming cool and falls in with a dangerous crowd. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang race to prepare for the Hellmouth to reopen.

Tension erupts between Buffy and an ailing Riley as they pursue Professor Maggie Walsh's killer.