When we begin, a distraught Giles is attempting a spell to reverse events that led to the murder of Jenny Calendar. Tracing back, he realizes that Angelus killed Jenny, and Buffy was responsible for turning Angel into Angelus. Unfortunately, things go wrong with his spell when Buffy shows up, and the two of them are thrown into an alternate reality where alternative Buffy never comes to Sunnydale at all—they, however, are not immediately aware of this. (Note: From this point forward, characters in italics are alternate-universe versions of the “normal” ones.)

Meanwhile, Giles is working to gather an organized force to contend with a rapidly growing vampire army. His partner is none other than Jenny Calendar. They meet with Willow, Xander; and Oz to form what will become known as the “White Hats.”

It’s not long before Buffy and Giles realize they’re not where they thought they were. Eventually, they decide to work their way to the high school. Here we find Giles and Giles face to face ... and pretty much exactly the same. The two of them figure out fairly quickly that Buffy and Giles have managed to place themselves into an alternate reality. Of primary concern, however, is a problem in this reality: The Master is planning an attack on The Bronze that night. Jenny and Oz are already on their way. Buffy pushes Giles to research how to get back to their reality, but he insists on going to see Jenny. Giles suggests Willow and Xander stay behind with Buffy to research—Giles would stay himself, but no one is more familiar with the Master’s situation than he.

Giles and Giles head out for The Bronze. Unfortunately, by the time they get there, things have already started to go bad. A complicated fight ensues. Meanwhile, Willow, Xander, and Buffy are hitting it off rather well, with Willow pointing out she hasn’t been this comfortable and relaxed in years. Eventually, they find a spell to open a pan-dimensional doorway. At least that’s what they think it is, but they need supplies, as well as Giles (or Giles) to translate the ancient Sumerian to be sure. Xander heads off to the Magic Shop while Buffy and Willow gather up the text to bring to the Gileses. Back at The Bronze, the vampires are slowly taking over as Giles spots a figure, separate from the fight, lurking in the shadows—it’s Angel, and Giles calls out. Angel looks up with a questioning glance, then silently walks out of The Bronze, untouched. In the momentary distraction, Giles becomes separated from Jenny, with whom he had been fighting side-by-side, and the Master drags her off. Xander, meanwhile, is overtaken in the street by vampires on his way to the Magic Shop.

Buffy and Willow, spell books in tow, head out to meet up with the others. As they walk up an alley, Buffy hears a noise behind them. She sends Willow ahead and goes to investigate. Their stalker turns out to be Angel, and while their meeting here closely resembles their meeting in “Welcome to the Hellmouth,” it’s not long before they’re in each other’s arms. Buffy explains the situation at hand—but not about Angelus—and that she’s heading to The Bronze to help. Angel explains how there has been no organized effort to stop the forces of darkness, so he’s stayed mainly neutral, generally fearing the Master’s growing army.

The two shortly catch up to Willow, who is about to enter The Bronze when Xander walks out. Buffy doesn’t react, but Angel, able to sense that Xander is now a vampire, yells out. But it’s too late—he is unable to save Willow from being turned by Xander. The books are lost. After some more fighting, Giles, Oz, Angel, Giles, and Buffy retreat back to the high school to regroup.

Back at the school, Giles mounts a search for another copy of the pan-dimensional doorway spell. Giles takes Oz to the Magic Shop for the necessary items. This leaves Buffy and Angel alone, and she finally explains the situation with Angelus. He tells her that she knows what she should do, but she wants to stay here with him, since they need her help here even more than in her own universe. Angel has no good answer for this. Giles eventually finds the spell, and walks in on Buffy and Angel at the end of their conversation—he insists that Buffy must return to her own dimension.

Giles and Buffy are arguing when Giles and Oz return. The spell is begun, to Buffy’s protest. As they begin work on the spell, some of the Master’s army break in. Buffy and Angel go into the midst of things to hold them at bay, while Oz takes cover and picks some of them off with a crossbow. As the spell is completed, and the portal opens, Willow and Xander show up and go for Angel. Oz takes a shot at Xander that hits him in the shoulder, but he finds himself unable to shoot at Willow, simply asking “who is that vampire?” Shortly, Jenny comes running in and goes to Giles’s side. He is thrilled to see her alive, but that quickly changes to horror when she shifts into vamp-face. From behind, Giles drives a stake through her heart as the doorway is opened. After a struggle, Willow subdues Angel and chains him up. She calls after the rest of the minions—their only mission was to capture Angel. Buffy is faced with the decision of whether to attempt to save Angel, or return to her own universe.