Title: Nostalgia of an Argument Now Gone By

Author: itsayamsham

Rating: PG-13

Setting: Several years post-series BtVS, but assuming Spike stays dead, with a flashback to very early Season 6, when Buffy is still dead.

Categories: Spike&Dawn, Spike/Buffy – tiny hints but I swear the love is there!

Summary: Spending a sister's night out at a club in Italy, Buffy and Dawn succumb to nostalgia after bickering over a dirty song.

A/N: Thanks to my sis musesinbasement for debating with me the proper usage of the word "daft." More A/N after the fic.

xXx

Taking a seat next to her sister at the table, Dawn strained to hear what song was playing and promptly cringed.

"She's on my Top 8; I bagged her off of MySpace…"

She swore this DJ's mission was to make the U.S. look bad. She shuddered to think of what people here in Italy thought of popular American songs like this one. What were people thinking writing crap like this?

"Man, I back it up, like a Mack Truck."

"Beep… Beep... Beep..."

Voicing her disgust with the DJ's song choice to Buffy, Dawn found herself launching into a light-hearted argument. Buffy said she didn't much mind the song – it was catchy and just for fun. Dawn thought not.

As she argued back, Dawn slowly became aware of an increasing feeling of déjà-vu. Then, suddenly, the elusive memory came rushing back.

"What in God's name is that soddin' crap?" Dawn looked up to see Spike in her doorway, a look of horrified disgust on his face.

"Uh, music, Spike. You remember music? That thing with the notes that you dance to?" He gave her an indulgent smirk.

"Cute." Walking into her room, he sat on her bed and gave her a piercing look," I," he pointed at himself," know music. And this," he pointed to her Hello Kitty CD player," is rubbish." He paused to listen to the song.

"'I'm a slave for you?'" He repeated incredulously. Then promptly, and without warning, he popped the CD player open, and took out the CD - while it was still on.

"Hey! Don't break that, it's brand-new!"

"Nibblet, you and I are gonna talk about what music really is, and Ms," he paused to glance at the CD,"…Spears has got to go. Now."

"But that's mine! You can't tell me what I can and can't listen to! Besides, everyone listens to Britney, it's no big."

"Then everyone is completely brain-dead for listening to a barely-legal, auto-tuned tart."

Seeing her sullen, and on the cusp of another temper tantrum, he softened, and admitted the real reason he didn't want her to have the CD, "'Sides, Dawn, I don't think Buffy'd appreciate it if I didn't confiscate this, considerin' the content and whatnot."

Dawn's temper tantrum seemed averted for now, but her sullenness had greatly increased at the mention of Buffy.

Treading lightly, he added, "You can understand that, yeah?"

She nodded slowly, averting her eyes.

Crap. He had to do something to clear that far-away look from her face. He waited a beat before he thought of something clever.

"How's about we go downstairs and have a dance to that thing with the notes?" He asked slyly. "Not Britney," he added quickly.

"Then what?" She asked dubiously.

"I think I can come up with something," He grinned mischievously.

xXx

That's the day Dawn learned all about the "classics," as Spike put it.

Despite Spike's insistence that she not listen to "that whiny tart," he had no qualms introducing her to the Sex Pistols. She was also brought up to speed on the godliness of The Clash.

The best part about it all, however, was that she got to see Spike dance – or, rather, head-bang. But she'd take what she could get.

And, despite her depression earlier, she found herself actually having fun. By the end of the night, Spike found himself also loosening up some of his earlier tension.

"Spike, can I put on a song? It - It's from the CD..." At his incredulous look, she hastened to add, "But it's not slutty, I swear! Please?"

He caved to her puppy-dog eyes and handed it over. "Just the one, though," he warned.

Popping in the CD, she began to sing along softly. As the music played, Spike felt himself relax, a knowing smile lighting up his face. It wasn't slutty at all. Just a song about someone not a girl, and not yet a woman.

"Dawn? Hello, Earth to Dawn?"

Fingers were being snapped in her face. "Sorry! Went a little out of it."

"It's alright. Happens to the best of us," Buffy smiled. "You alright though? You seem a little off."

"Nah, it's nothing." A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Actually…I'll be right back."

Confused, Buffy sat watching Dawn work her way through the crowd and wondered what had made her zone out. Maybe something to do with the DJ, or their childlike bickering?

But as soon as she pieced together the sounds of the muffled song coming from the dance floor, she knew.

Dawn worked her way through the crowd back to Buffy, then silently held out her hand.

Wordlessly taking it, Buffy got up from her seat to join her on the dance floor.

Swaying to the upbeat song, Buffy danced, and Dawn head-banged, to "Rock the Casbah," a song by the very gods themselves, The Clash.

xXx

A/N: Song in the beginning, 'bout that Mack Truck, is indeed a song – "Go Girl" by Pitbull, sung with two other featured singers, released in 2007, and is very nastay, like everything he sings (Heeeyyy!). It also, I promise, features those beeps I wrote. Dawn's tarty CD is Britney by Britney Spears, released in 2001. (Yes, I did properly align these songs to the timeline of the series!) Her slutty song is "I'm a Slave 4 U" (Written just like that, no joke), and her non-slutty one is "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" – both by Britney Spears, of course.

You might ask why I know these songs, and I say, "Hey, what's a little slutty, auto-tuned song now and again?" ;D

Also, the Hello Kitty CD player is a shout-out to my very own, which still sits in my room after about nine years. The CD player part doesn't work anymore, and the radio doesn't pick up signals very easily, but it's cute, goddamnit!