"Where is she?" asked Xander as Dawn let him in the house.

"She's still in bed. Willow's already upstairs with her," said Dawn.

"How long she been like this?" asked Xander.

"I guess since yesterday afternoon. Maybe since yesterday morning. She didn't say much, but I didn't think anything was wrong, but then I heard her crying last night, but she wouldn't let me in her room and today she won't get out of bed."

"I'm going to head upstairs to see her. You need anything?"

"No, Tara came over with Willow. She's making lunch for me in the kitchen."

"Good." Xander headed upstairs and softly knocked on Buffy's door. Willow opened the door looking concerned. When she saw Xander she hugged him and stepped aside so he could come in.

"How's she doing?" asked Xander.

"Not good. She won't talk to me. She just stares into space like I'm not even there. It seemed like she was listening to me at one point, but she didn't respond and just went back to staring." Xander turned to Buffy to speak.

"Hey Buff, how's it going?" Buffy didn't respond. She just lay under the covers looking up. "If you're having a staring contest with the ceiling, I think you're winning." Once again there was no response. Xander took a more serious tone, "Buffy, you're scaring us. Whatever it is, we can face it. I mean how many apocalypseseseses. . . apocalypsi? Well, you know what I mean. We've faced a lot and we're still here."

"Xander's right, Buffy. If you tell us what the problem is we'll help you solve it. It's what we're here for. We're. . ." Willow was cut off by a small sound from Buffy. "What'd you say Buffy?"

"Is Tara here?" asked Buffy. Willow and Xander were confused by the question, but they were glad Buffy was talking.

"Yeah, Tara's downstairs, Buffy. She's taking care of Dawn," said Willow, thinking that was why Buffy asked. To make sure someone was looking out for Dawn.

"Can I talk to her?" asked Buffy as her eyes started to tear up.

"Umm, sure Buffy," said a confused Willow. Willow and Xander complied with Buffy's request and a few minutes later Tara was alone with Buffy in her room. She pretended to be surprised by Buffy's request for her, but she immediately knew what it was about. Tara sat on Buffy's bed, but before she could speak Buffy broke the silence.

"He rejected me," said Buffy.

"Spike?" whispered Tara.

"I'm disgusting."

"No, Buffy, you're not disgusting."

"He's evil and he doesn't want me. I'm too low, even for him."

"He said that?"

"No."

"What happened?"

"I went to his crypt the other night. He told me to get out. I stripped down to my underwear and he still threw me out. God, I felt like such a whore. He didn't even insult me, he just threw me out the minute he saw me."

"Oh Buffy, that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Besides I thought you wanted to break things off with Spike?"

"I did, because it's wrong, but I didn't because . . . when I was with him . . . I felt. It's so hard to feel. I can't. . ." Buffy started to sob and Tara, at a loss for words, held her.

Buffy stayed in bed even after she stopped sobbing, but she was no longer silent. Tara convinced her to talk to Willow and Xander. She didn't tell them anything about Spike, but she did ask if Dawn was okay and she also asked for food. Her friends took that as a good sign. Tara told Willow she was going out for some comfort food for Buffy and headed out the door. Tara did pick up some Twinkies and doughnuts, but then she headed to the cemetery. She walked to Spike's crypt and then she walked away. She walked back and tried to talk herself into knocking. It was the middle of the day, Spike probably wouldn't even be awake, she thought, she hoped. Or if he was there he'd be cranky at her for waking him up. But then again, Spike couldn't bite. Tara finally knocked and got no answer. Maybe I should go. What am I going to say to Spike anyway. "Hey Spike, don't be mean to Buffy." I'm sure that will have him quaking in his boots. While Tara was thinking the door began to open, and Tara found herself face-to-point with a crossbow, but Spike wasn't on the other end of it.

"Zoë!" said Tara.

"Tara, oh, sorry about this," said Zoë as she motioned to the crossbow and lowered it.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, just hanging out I guess."

"Zoë, you can't just HANG OUT with a vampire."

Spike was sleeping, but the noise from Tara and Zoë woke him up. He wandered into the front room to the sight of the two witches arguing.

"I don't think it's any of your business!" said Zoë.

"But you could be in danger, Zoë." Tara then spotted Spike and turned her attention to him.

"Is this why you rejected Buffy? Are you two sleeping together?"

"Get out!" yelled Zoë.

"I'm not leaving without you," said Tara as she moved to grab Zoë's hand.

Just then, Spike yelled, "Oi, stay out!" and Tara ran into the barrier Zoë had created.

"What is this?" Tara said, "A barrier. Did you make this for him?"

"It's to keep bad elements out. Spike gets a lot of demons threatening him, you know."

"Are you using her for magic?" asked an angry Tara, "Or are you using him for a thrill?"

"I think you've overstayed your welcome Glinda," said Spike, "Get out."

"Zoë come with me," said Tara, "I can h-h-help you."

"Help me? Despite what you think, nothing is wrong with me," said Zoë.

"You're in a vampire's crypt, Zoë, something is definitely wrong."

"What part of 'Get out' was unclear?" said Zoë.

"Fine," said Tara, "just be careful, and this isn't over Spike." Tara left and Zoë closed the door.

"I never realized Glinda didn't like me, and to think, I thought so well of her." Zoë didn't say anything. "You all right pet?" asked Spike.

"Fine."

"You don't seem fine," said Spike, "Don't let Glinda get to you. She's the good witch, you're the wicked witch, you were bound to butt heads sooner or later."

"What's so wicked about me? She's the one coming in here and labeling me a slut."

"She called you a slut?"

"Well no. . . but the implication was there. What exactly does she think is wrong with me? Does she think I'm some magic whore who gives magical favors in exchange for sex? Bitch. I save her life and this is the thanks I get. I should have let that demon rip her in half when it had the chance. And I was all nice to her too. I open the door and I'm like 'Hi, Tara," and she's all judgment and condescension."

"Well how do you think I feel, luv. She threatened me and she treated sleeping with me like some sort of disease."

"I know! And we're not even sleeping together. I mean we've slept together but we haven't . . . and anyway what's it to her who I sleep with! Grrrrrrr, it just makes me want to hurt something."

"It's all right, pet. Forget, Glinda, you come back to bed and finish reading your book," said Spike.

"I don't want to read. I wanna hit Tara, and if I can't do that I wanna pout."

"Well, don't expect me to come to your pity party."

"Shut up," said Zoë smiling. Then she playfully hit Spike and he winced. "What's wrong? You still haven't healed?"

"It's taking longer than expected. I think it's 'cause that pipe was filthy."

"Well let me see. You think you're wound is infected?"

"Yeah," said Spike and Zoë looked concerned. "Relax pet, I'm not gonna get sick or anything. It'll just take a little longer to heal is all, and it'll probably leave an ugly scar."

"A scar on that nice body. No, I can't have that."

"Gonna heal me up proper then?"

"Gonna disinfect you, then heal you up proper."

"Does this disinfection have anything to do with you giving me a nice sponge bath?" asked Spike.

"No, Spike. There will be no sponge bath."

"How about a sponge bath anyway?"

"Maybe if you're a good boy, but the disinfection is a simple spell. I make a plea to Hygea, she lets me remove the icky things in you and then you're fine, but I need a place for the germs and stuff to end up. Do you have anything you wouldn't mind throwing out?"

"Use that old T-shirt."

Zoë retrieved the faded T-shirt Spike pointed to and instructed him to lie down in bed. After the incantation, Spike felt a tingle in his feet that seemed to move up to his whole body. Once it passed through his head he turned to look at Zoë. "Did it work?"

"Shh," said Zoë as she stared at the T-shirt. It was lying on the ground. Suddenly Spike saw something glowing on the shirt.

"It's the bacteria and stuff," Zoë explained, "Since I wouldn't be able to see it, it glows so I know it's been removed. This is taking a while though, either you had a lot of bacteria and viruses and stuff or . . ."

"Or what?" asked Spike. Zoë didn't answer. "What?" Spike was a little worried by her silence.

He looked at the shirt and bacteria weren't the only things glowing on it. There giving out a soft yellow light, was a computer chip. Not just any computer chip, the one that had ruined his life (well, unlife). He snatched it from the shirt and turned it over in his hands. This tiny little thing had had so much power over him and now it was gone. It was gone and he was free. He dropped it to the ground and crushed it under his heel. Then he laughed and laughed and stomped on it.

"It's gone. It's gone. You hear that you little bugger, you can't control me anymore. You're gone and I'm free. Free!" Spike laughed some more. Meanwhile Zoë was panicking.

Idiot, do you know what you've done. How could you not realize? The literal translation of that spell was 'remove foreign elements from his body,' did you think a computer chip wasn't a foreign element? You're in a crypt with an unchipped vampire. No, you're in a crypt with an unchipped elite vampire. And you probably used so much energy on that spell, you can't fight him off. Simple spell, my ass. You're about to collapse. Well, you might as well 'cause you're not getting out of here alive. You know how long it's been since Spike fed off a human. Do you know how hungry he must be for human blood? No, Spike's a friend, maybe he won't. . . but he's a vampire. It's what he does. I feel like vomiting. Maybe I could get away while he's still celebrating. No, I'd have to pass right by him. Maybe if Tara's not too far away, I could . . . who am I kidding, she's long gone. Oh God, don't cry. Don't call attention to yourself, just . . . oh, too late, he's looking straight at you.

Spike had finished his ecstatic revelry, and now he looked at Zoë.

"You freed me," Zoë stood as still as a stone, "You freed me, pet." Before Zoë could blink, Spike grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. "It's time for me to return the favor." Spike changed to his game face. No one heard Zoë scream.