A/N: Just a few minor points about the story. Tara is (obviously) not dead, Anya and Xander are back together as are Willow and Tara. Spike never tried to rape Buffy, cause I just don't think he'd try to do that. Thank you to all my wonderful readers who have been reviewing my story. I love ya'll so much! I know I am a bad, bad updater, but I am going to punish myself by staring at naked Spike's for days on end. ~E'Lise

Chapter Eight: Chipless

Spike ran into Joy's room and slammed the door behind him. Buffy was holding her daughter in a corner of the room sobbing into the little girl's hair. Joy was frightened, she didn't know how to help her mother so she was also crying. Spike stood in the middle of the room and sank to his knees.

"Buffy, I am so sorry," he whispered plaintively.

"How could you Spike? She's my sister!" Buffy looked at him angrily.

"I know, I am sorry, but it was just one of those things that just happen sometimes," Spike finished off lamely. He knew he was in for trouble as the Slayer stood up and put Joy back in her bed.

Buffy comforted her daughter. She soothed the little girl until she went back to sleep. Buffy covered her up and kissed her forehead before throwing a withering look at Spike.

"Go put on some clothes and meet me in the small house out back." Buffy walked out of the room and went back to her own. The door slammed and the sound reverberated throughout the home.

"What's in the little house out back?" Spike wondered aloud. He padded out of Joy's room down the hall to Dawn's. When he reached the door, he heard several voices arguing about him. Spike listened closely at the door. Xander's voice was rising above the rest.

"He's gotten the chip out! We have to tell Buffy! He could hurt Joy!"

Dawn snorted loudly.

"Please Xander, give me a break. Spike wouldn't hurt anyone Buffy cares about. Just because you annoy the hell out of him doesn't mean he'd kill you."

Spike decided to venture into the laundry room to scrounge up some clothes. There was no way he was walking into that crossfire. He had seen some black drawstring scrub pants hanging on the wall. He dropped Dawn's sheet on the floor and pulled on the pants, tying them right above his hips. The walkway to the little house outside was shaded by oak trees, so the sun was easily avoidable. Spike walked quickly to the little house and opened the door.

"Buffy?" Spike called. No answer.

"Slayer!" Buffy stepped out from a doorway. She was dressed in red cutoff sweatpants and a gray tank.

"Come in Spike." He crossed the threshold into the darkened room. Buffy had pulled the curtains on all the windows, and the small house was a little creepy. Spike looked around nervously. The main room was large and shaped like an "L", but looked like it had once been much smaller. There was one doorway that led into a large bathroom and changing area.

"What is this place?" Spike asked under his breath.

"It used to be the slave quarters for the main house," Buffy said.

"It was completely run down when we moved in, I guess Angel never had any use for it. It was four small rooms at first, but Xander had his guys knock down the walls and build new structural supports. The large area became the training room and then we converted like a room and a half into a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. Its great for after a really tough workout."

Spike raised an eyebrow at that, and Buffy glared at him. She motioned for him to follow her to the mats in the back of the room. The Slayer crouched down into fighting position. Spike stood in front of her, arms crossed.

"Slayer, can't we please talk this..."

Buffy's leg shot out and kicked his legs from underneath him. Spike fell flat on his back.

"Out?" he moaned. Spike sprang back up and began to bounce on the balls of his feet.

"You wanna dance, Slayer? Then we'll dance."

Buffy and Spike began to spar, trading blow for blow. An hour later Buffy felt that she had gotten out most of her aggression, so she gave Spike one final punch in the nose. He sat down hard, cradling the offended appendage.

"Why d'ya always have to go for the nose Slayer? That shit really hurts." Blood began to leak through Spike's fingers, and Buffy sighed.

"Let's get you cleaned up." She held her hand out to Spike and pulled him to his feet. She guided him towards the bathroom and sat him down on the edge of the tub. Buffy went into the closet and pulled out a first aid kit and a washcloth. She rinsed the cloth with cold water and handed it to Spike, who began to dab his nose with it. Buffy dug out some cotton balls and put the rest of the kit away. She sat down next to Spike and began to speak.

"When I saw you this morning in bed with Dawn, I was crazed. For a second I was so jealous I could barely breathe. Then I thought 'that's my baby sister' but that isn't really true anymore. She's an adult now, or as close to it as a perpetual 18 year old can be. And I was the one who broke it off with you, and Dawn's an attractive vampire girl, and she can be with you forever, and I mean we haven't seen each other in years, and..."

Spike leaned over and cut her off with a kiss. Just a short sweet kiss, but it had the passion of all the years he had spent away from her poured into it. Buffy melted into his arms and held on to him tightly.

"Oh Spike," she sighed. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too Buffy, more than you could ever imagine," he mumbled into her hair.

"I don't want to rush anything Spike, but do you think you would like to stay here at the house for a while? There are a few of empty bedrooms left, you can have your pick. Set it up any way you want. We basically have stock in thick, dark curtains." Buffy looked at him expectantly.

"Buffy, if you are okay with it I would love to move in, and I promise this thing between me and Dawn was a one time only thing. I really never meant for it to happen, and although I love Dawn, you are the one I will always want. But, there is one more thing I would like to tell you before I move in, 'cause it may change your mind."

Buffy put her hand on his knee.

"You can tell me anything Spike I promise."

"I don't know how to tell you this Buffy but..."

All of a sudden there was a rumbling as if 20 elephants were stampeding to the little house. The door flung open and Xander burst through with Anya, Willow, Tara, and Dawn in hot pursuit. Xander opened his mouth and screamed out Buffy's name right before Dawn tackled him. As they hit the floor, Xander yelled one last time.

"SPIKE'S GOTTEN THE CHIP OUT!!!!"