Disclaimer: I don't own the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.
A/N: So, this is different for me. Buffy was never a show I really got into, but after re-watching some of the show's seasons, I've found my own appreciation for the relationship that developed between Spike and Buffy, so that's why I decided to write this. It's light and reflects just another night at the Summers house, so I hope you'll like it. Oh, and I guess it would be only fair to write this as some sort of dedication to a friend who was behind this show from the very beginning, so here's to you. :)
An All-Nighter
''What do you mean it's morning already?''
''I'm back!'' Buffy hollered as she entered the house.
''How was parent teacher night?!'' Dawn yelled back from her position on the floor of the living room.
''Oh, you know,'' Buffy started while shutting the door and turning to face the large hallway mirror, ''parent teachery.'' She eyed her outfit: the bright pink top with the white lace, the light gray pants she was wearing that were actually part of a suit, thought she had decided not to wear the jacket after all, and the silver heels that matched the silver hoops in her ears.
She sighed and pulled out the pin that had been holding her hair up all night. ''Hey Dawn,'' she said and came to stand in the door opening of the living room, ''do you think this outfit makes me look mommish enough?'' she asked while putting her hands on her hips.
Dawn nodded. ''Yeah, you totally look mommish in that outfit. That is what you wanted me to say right 'cause you're definitely not old-looking, or like you could have a child, at least not one that is a teenager, unless, maybe, like if you looked really good for an old person, which you're not. Right, Spike?''
''Sorry, love, I didn't really follow your conversation.''
''Spike,'' Buffy said, surprised at his presence, ''you're still here.''
He nodded. ''Yeah… Is that a problem?'' he asked while seeking out her eyes with his own.
Buffy shook her head. ''No, you know you're welcome here.'' She crossed her arms and looked away before their eyes could fully meet. ''Especially since you're the only one who Dawn lets watch her. I thought you didn't need a babysitter,'' Buffy directed towards Dawn.
Dawn rolled her eyes. ''I don't. I so don't, but Spike's cool, and at least he treats me like a grownup.''
''How grown up are we talking about exactly?'' Buffy questioned while turning slightly to look at Spike again.
He shrugged. ''We kept things G-rated, stayed away from blood and violence and all that.''
''At least for tonight anyway,'' Dawn added.
''That's good,'' Buffy remarked with a slight nod of her head.
''Yeah, especially since he's, you know, a vampire.''
''She has a point there, pet,'' Spike remarked. ''I don't know why you let me watch her. I'm not good with kids—''
''I'm not a kid!'' Dawn exclaimed.
''…I ate my share of 'em though,'' he finished with somewhat of a proud smirk.
Dawn's eyed widened. ''That's a joke, right?''
''What do you think, Bit?''
''I think I need some ice-cream,'' she replied while getting up.
''Ooh, me too please!''
''Do you want some, Spike?'' Dawn asked while heading for the kitchen.
''Nah, I lost my sweet tooth when I became a vampire, so unless there's some human blood mixed in there, I…''
Dawn put her hands up and signaled for him to stop. ''I got it.''
He chuckled as she left the room. ''She's skittish for a Summers.''
''You didn't scare her too much, did you? With your stories? 'Cause I know she thinks she's old enough to hear them, but I'm the one who has to suffer through the nightmares.''
''They were all about rainbows and unicorns, pet, I swear.''
Buffy shot him half a smile. ''I'll bet.'' She uncrossed her arms, sat down on the couch and began undoing her shoes.
''Hey!'' Dawn called for attention when entering the room again, ''can vampires even have children?''
Buffy sighed. ''Oh, boy.''
''What? I'm just curious.''
''Fine,'' Buffy said while taking her shoes off.
''Spike?'' Dawn asked.
''If they can, I never heard of it, and like I said, I ain't that fond of kids.''
''Okay, I'm going to sit over here, beside the Slayer.''
Buffy laughed and took the spoon Dawn handed her.
''So, what was with the question about looking too mommish?'' Dawn wondered. ''Did something happen?''
Buffy shrugged and dug her spoon unto the carton of ice-cream Dawn was holding. ''I just should've worn the jacket, that's all.''
''Why? That jacked made you look old.''
Buffy smiled and brought the spoon to her mouth, an image Spike took a mental picture of. ''I agree, but it seemed like all the other moms were wearing the pants with the matching jackets, like it was the new hip thing among them and I was the uncool one because I was only wearing the pants.''
''Oh yeah, that sounds like a total fashion don't,'' Dawn said with her mouth full.
Buffy shrugged. ''I don't know. I just felt like they were constantly watching me. And, oh!'' she cried out while sitting up straight, ''I was also the only one not wearing just black or some shade of it anyway. I never knew there were so many.''
''That's because old people are boring.''
''Hey, watch what you're saying there little one,'' Spike commented.
Dawn shook her head. ''No, black looks cool on you. It's really vampirey.''
''Plus, you're not that old,'' Buffy innocently pointed out.
''Watch it or I'll come over there and bite the both of you,'' Spike threatened.
''Right, only you can't. He can't, right Buffy? I mean with the chip and all?''
Buffy shook her head. ''No.''
''And you could take him right?''
''Of course, but not now,'' Buffy answered. ''I'm too tired and I would have to change into something less mommish and more fightey.''
''Naturally,'' Dawn agreed.
''Oh, yeah, 'cause vampires really care 'bout what you're wearing,'' Spike stated with a roll of his eyes.
''Angel always did.''
''You really know where to hit to make it hurt, don't you, Slayer?''
''I try.'' She smiled and continued eating her ice-cream.
''You know what Slayer, I didn't come here to be insulted. I did you a favor by lookin' after her,'' he said and pointed at Dawn. ''I don't ask nothin' in return and this is how you repay me.''
''Well, we offered you ice-cream, but you declined,'' she reminded, her eyes twinkling playfully as they looked up at him.
''That's 'cause I don't want no bloody ice-cream.''
''Fine, then what do you want?'' she asked in a friendly enough tone.
''Do you happen to have any alcohol?''
She shook her head.
''Oh, but we have root beer,'' Dawn told him.
Spike was silent for a few seconds before sighing and asking, ''Where is it?''
The two Summers girls smiled and the oldest one said, ''In the fridge.''
''Well, that's my cue to get to bed, you know, when Spike gets out the alcohol, only it's not actual alcohol?''
Buffy nodded and took the ice-cream from her sister. ''Goodnight, Dawnie. I love you.''
''Ditto. Goodnight Spike,'' Dawn told him on her way up the stairs.
''Sleep tight, pet.'' He took a swig of his root beer. ''So, I guess I should be on my way then,'' he announced, though he did the opposite and saw down beside Buffy instead. She didn't say anything and stared at the TV with him. ''My TV's broken, you know,'' he informed her.
''Really?''
''Yeah, I spilled blood all over it.''
Buffy made a face and he chuckled. ''No need to make that face, love. It's only blood, nothing you're not used to by now.''
''That's true.''
''So, I should probably go.'' Still, he didn't move and Buffy noticed. ''Spike, is this your way of asking me if you can stay here a little longer 'cause slayers and vampires don't usually hang out together.''
''Oh, no, I don't want to hang. It's just, like I said, my TV's broken and I always watch TV at night, seeing how there isn't a lot else to do now that I got me a shiny chip in the head and have crossed over to fighting on the good side.'' He glanced at her. ''It's hard, you know? Harder than you think.''
''I bet,'' Buffy responded, but handed him the remote any way. ''Knock yourself out.'' She curled her legs up underneath her as Spike turned on the TV.
''I thought you were tired?''
She shook her hair out of her face. ''I've never watched any late-night TV before. I want to see if it's any good.''
''Well, it's crap,'' Spike replied.
''But that's probably the best thing about it.''
''Yeah, it is,'' he admitted and sat back.
And before they knew it, it was morning.
Please review? (: Let me know what you thought about this little piece, will you? The characters might be a little off since I don't write about this show a lot, but I had to write and upload it anyway, just to get it off my mind. Thanks for reading. :) And, I'm currently also working on a Roswell story, which includes all pairings and focuses on Isabel (and eventually Alex), and I just updated it as well, so if you have the time and interest... :)