"Giles where�s the crows feet? I thought they were on sale this week?" Anya hollered back to him. All she heard was a loud thud. Inside the training room Buffy was grinning over top of him. "Maybe you should be the one working out." She helped him up.

"Yes, I think perhaps you may be right." replied Giles. Smiling Buffy teased him. "I bet not all the watchers let themselves get beat up by their Slayers. I'm one lucky gal."

Giles laughs. "Yes, I'm just holding back." Buffy yanked off her gloves and tossed them on the green couch. She let out a sigh. "Training always makes me hungry. I'm going to grab a burger and go check on mom at the hospital."

"Would you like some company?" Giles asked wiping the sweat from his forehead. Buffy grinned. "Sure. I bet mom would like to see you. Might cheer her up." Anya peered out at the Slayer and the Watcher as they neared the front of the store. " Don't worry about me, I'm fine here all alone with the human cash machines." She smiles a cheery smile.

Buffy returned the smile. "You really do a great job here Anya. Giles is lucky to have you. " I know. So is Xander. He'd never be able to find his socks without me." She smiled and went back to counting her money. Giles laughed. "She will learn to take a compliment eventually Buffy." They leave in Giles's little two-door hussy and off to the hospital they go.

Buffy laughs. "It's a nice night eh?" Giles is concentrating on the road. "Um yes it is. Are we stopping at a fast food establishment?"

Buffy laughs. "No, we don't have to. I can get food at the hospital." They continue to drive, only squabbling over the radio station once or twice.

Spike wiggled uncomfortably on the table "Just bloody get on with it already." Doctor Conner�s voice is shaky. "You have to hold still sir. This is delicate work you know.� Drucilla smiled as she knocked Spike out with one right hook. �There you go. All better now.� The doctor sighed nervously. Then began on the surgery.

Buffy and Giles head to the cafeteria. "Your hungry right? I'm sneaking stuff up to mom. She says the food is horrible here"

Giles smiles. "Yes, such is often the case with hospital food." Up in Joyce�s room Buffy walked in beaming, holding several bags of chips and a handful of candy. "The cavalry is here mom." She drops the load of food at Joyce's side. "Look, we even got Giles out of the magic Shop for a few hours. Miracles never cease."

Joyce smiled. "It's really nice to see you Rupert. I'm glad Buffy brought you by." Giles sort of blushed and smiled �Yes, well its nice to see you also Joyce." Buffy smiled at the two of them. Wondering why it just never got any further between them. Then again the whole band candy episode was a big over share. Still she reasoned they would be so good for each other. Then Buffy thought about having the two of them in the same house watching over her may be a bit bothersome at times.

"So mom, your all done in here tomorrow?"

"Yep, no more overcooked peas and blue paper dresses." She smiled warmly at her oldest daughter. "How's Dawn? Is she doing ok? Staying out of trouble? You know, Spike came to visit me today... he brought flowers." Looking less than thrilled Buffy repeated his name with disgust. "Spike? Came to bring you flowers? What does he want?"

"He didn't seem to want much of anything honey. He just asked how I felt." Buffy sat in a nearby chair. "I don't trust him mom, neither should you. He�s a vampire remember?"

Joyce sighed. "He was really very sweet Buffy. I like him." Buffy threw up her arms "MOM! How many times must I remind everyone? Psycho vampire, walking evil dead, Spike is not nice." Buffy paced the squeaky-clean hospital floor. For a moment she wondered how they kept it shining like that. �And besides, he�s only nice cause of the chip. Once its out, his killing spree will start which I will have to put to an end so don't get attached." Giles stared at Buffy, a somewhat confused look in his eyes. "While I share your views on Spike, I didn't realize you still felt so strongly that he was a threat."

"Well he is. He's just luring you all in. Making you all think he's just a tame little puppy, so you'll trust him. But believe me, he's still a monster. He's evil. And as soon as he gets that chip out, he'll prove it." As if to make matters more stressful on Buffy, Joyce produced a VHS tape. "He brought me this. Its today�s Passions since I was sleeping and missed it. Buffy he really is alright."

Buffy sighs. "Ok mom. You can believe that. But I never will." They say their goodbyes for the night and Giles and Buffy headed to the car. Driving in a comfortable silence until Buffy spoke up. Her voice sounded cold, unwavering. "Drop me off at Spike's." Giles looked alarmed at his Slayer. "Are you in your right mind Buffy? You want to visit him now? This late at night?" Buffy continued to stare straight ahead. The only thing on her mind is finding out why he still thinks he can play chums with her friends and family. "Yes, and if you don't take me, I�ll just walk later." Giles lets out a heavy sigh. "Very well then, do you wish me to wait for you? Maybe come inside?"

"No, I'll be fine. Can't say he will be though." Giles pulled the BMW up in front of Spikes place. "Buffy..." Giles attempted to reason with her. However when Buffy turned to face him, Giles reconsidered any hope of changing her mind and wished her luck.

Inside Spike is simply watching TV. His back was towards the door. His mind is racing with the events of the past few hours. Finally the sodding chip is out. And where is he? Home watching TV when he could be out doing what he does best. "Damn Slayer" he muttered. Buffy burst through the door at that moment. She pulled him up roughly out of his seat by the collar of his shirt, slammed him head first into the first available wall. Their eye�s met, locking on one another�s.

"Aow!!!!! Bloody hell!!!! Why don't you leave me alone?"

Buffy glared at him. "Don't you EVER come near my mother again! Or my sister or my friends. Or me. I want you out of my life Spike. You and your sick little obsession have got to stop! You're disgusting."

Spike glared at her through narrowed eyes. "You know what Buffy? I'm sick and tired of the way you treat me. Here I try to be nice, I try to help you, and all I get is an ass-kicking." Buffy stared back with venom in her eyes. "You deserve every bit of what I give you. Your just lucky I haven�t really let into you yet." A right hook to Spike�s jaw barley put a scratch on the vampire�s face. Buffy shouted another warning at him. "Now GET OUT!" Much to Buffy's surprise Spike punched her back. This time though, there was no screaming from the vampire. He grinned as she looks at him in confusion. "What�s the matter Slayer? Cat got your tongue?"

She gasped putting her hand to her mouth. Staring at him, stunned. "B... but how? What about the chip?" Spike sauntered over close to her to whisper in her ear. "What chip? Guess you have a problem now don't you Summers?"

Buffy closed her eyes. Astonished that the closeness of his body to hers was making her quiver in a way Angel never did. All she could do was mutter two words. "Oh no..."

Spike smiled and replied. "Oh yes...� Moving with amazing speed, he yanked the Slayer�s arms behind her, pinning her back to his well muscled chest, and sank his fangs into the soft tissue of her neck.