School Hard

Spike was woken by the sound of the food processor being switched on. The sound didn't sit well with his hangover.

"Dawn!" he yelled, then winced at the sound of his own voice.

"Here!" she said, coming into the living room and setting a mug of coffee down beside where he was sprawled on the couch. "Your snack's gonna take a little longer."

"Why aren't you at school?"

"Because it's Saturday, ya big goon!"

"Oi! Don' talk to yer old dad like that."

"Why?" she asked, with a pout.

"Because." He stated, flatly, and then lay back down clutching his head.

"Whatever," Dawn exclaimed, heading back towards the kitchen.

Once her dad was fed and watered she decided to break the news.

"You, uh…" she began, while picking at her shirt, and paying it close attention. Immediately Spike was on high alert. He could read her like a book, after all.

Turning off the TV, and gently titling her chin until she looked him in the eye, he asked what was going on.

"About school… You maybe need to come in with me, for a meeting."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe?"

"Uh huh."

"Care to tell me what for?"

"Oh," she shrugged, "Nothing much. Just a normal meeting."

"Right," he said, skeptically. "An' when is this normal meeting, then?"

"Kinda nowish. We're a bit late."

"Blood hell, Dawn!"

The girl stood up and put her hands on her hips. "What? It's not my fault you were hung-over!"

"Well, no, but if I'd known I woulda-"

"Whatever. You good enough to drive?"

"'m fine," he insisted, snatching up his keys.

Dawn went to move past him, to the door, but he snagged her arm to pull her into a hug.

"Don' need to act so tough for my benefit, Niblet," Spike whispered into her hair.

The girl smiled, then swatted his shoulder. "Stop being mushy."

"Never," he replied, with a smile of his own, as he released her.

Spike was staring at Dawn's guidance counselor like she was an angel. The girl rolled her eyes, then snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Spike, hello? Spike!"

"Huh? What?" he shook his head. "Not so loud!"

There was more eye rolling from the teen. She then looked at her counselor, gestured back at her dad, and said, "This is Spike."

"Uh, hi," he said, timidly.

Reversing the looks and gestures, she then completed the introductions. "Spike, this is Buffy."

"Nice to meet you," said Buffy.

She was actually blushing. Dawn couldn't believe it. What was with adults and being all annoyingly cute and obvious? She slumped down in a chair loudly, breaking the spell.

Buffy looked at her. "You call your dad by his first name?"

Dawn shrugged. "Everyone else does."

Well, she shouldn't argue with that. Her eyes returned to the hansom man sat across from her.

"And is Spike your real name?"

"It's what everyone calls me," he reiterated.

"Right. Are you Dawn's biological father?'

"Bloody hell!"

Buffy went red in the face again – annoyed with her lack of tact. "Sorry, Mr, uh…"

"Jus' Spike is fine."

The counselor nodded. "Mr Spike. I mean-" she slapped her forehead, then wiped her brow with the back of her hand. It was a long time since she remembered being so flustered.

"Sorry, Spike," she began again. He was smirking at her. "It's just that you seem so young, to have a teenage child."

"Thanks for the complement, pet."

"A-a-and Dawn's mother?"

The girl snorted, and both of them looked at her.

"Cecily hasn't been around in forever," she informed Buffy. "And if you think the freak show of growing up with Drusilla as a step-parent for ten years counted you're as insane as she is."

"Hold your tongue!" said Spike.

"Make me!" she replied.

The man deflated a little, under her harsh stare, then turned to Buffy and said, "You'll have to excuse the Bit. Hasn't had the best time with female company."

"The Bit?" Buffy asked, confused. "Bit of what?"

Spike shrugged. "Me, I guess. It's jus' a pet name. Nevermind, why am I here on a Saturday? I'm missing Passio-" he coughed when Dawn hit him in the ribs. "I mean, motorsport."

Buffy looked back at Dawn, who was smiling innocently at her. "You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what?"

"Dawn's here because she's been late for every class this semester so far."

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed again. "That's a lot, right?"

Ignoring his ignorance, Dawn countered by saying, "I don't see what the big deal is. You said school was just a factory spewing out mindless little automatons."

Buffy raised her eyebrow at Spike. The look would have brought a lesser man to his knees. He gulped, then answered his daughter. "I also said those automatons went on to became valuable, productive members of society, and that you should go."

"I did go! Y'know, eventually…"

"Dawn, Spike, I need to look at how we can address this behavior."

Spike held up his hand, to indicate he would deal with it. "Damn well go to school," he said to Dawn. "And on time!"

The girl crossed her arms, pouted, then said, "Fine."

"Sorted," Spike concluded, with a look of triumph on his face, as if he expected Buffy to award him a cookie for his success.

"I don't think-" she began to say, at which he deflated a little.

In earnest he assured her that if Dawn was given a week, she would prove that the issue was settled.

"Dawn, are you really going to be on time?" Buffy asked her.

"I said, fine, didn't I?"

Spike give her a small shove, and her insincere smile came back on. "I mean, yes, Miss Summers."

"Uh, good," said Buffy. "Report back to me in a week, then."

"Great, sounds good," Spike told her, standing to his feet. "A week from now at my place. Uh, our place. I mean- me and Dawn, here. We can have a catch up over dinner. Talk about how brilliant my girl is."

The counselor went back to blushing and incoherent yammering.

"See you in a week, Buffy," said Dawn, pushing her dad out into the corridor as she loudly exclaimed about how embarrassing he was.

Buffy sank down in her seat, once the door closed, and said to herself, "Oh boy."

To be continued...