To my Onna, and best friends, who have SEEN me dress shop. God bless every one of you. lol These are not my characters (snuvvle). But I do rent Spike on Saturday evenings. hehehe *evil chuckle* AHEM! Anyway.... They're going dress shopping, and Buffy has a crying jag. Maybe.
Pulling into the mall only seconds after sunset, Spike stepped out of the De Soto reluctantly. Dress shopping. Really. Did he REALLY need to bleedin' be here?
"Spike!!" He heard Dawn cry from fifty yards away and come running for him.
He smiled at her jubilant expression at she launched herself into his arms. 'Yup,' he thought, 'Completely necessary... Cuz she asked.'
"Come on!" She said excitedly. "The mall closes in THREE hours. We better get crackin'."
Had he been human, he would have blanched. Three hours? He thought... find a pretty dress, grab it, leave. End of story.
He didn't even know the story. As Dawn stepped out of the dressing room of the 12th store in a deep green strapless sheath dress, he yelped, standing in front of her, his duster thrown out on both sides. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING!? THERE ARE BOYS IN THIS STORE, AND I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GO FIND THE REST OF THAT DRESS IN THAT OVER STUFFED CHANGING ROOM!"
Dawn laughed and slipped under his arm to spin for Buffy. The hint of cleavage almost had him vamping out and panting for unnecessary breaths.
"Slayer... You let that sweet innocent get that dress, and damn the chip, I kill the sales clerk that lets you buy it."
Buffy whispered to Dawn for a moment, and she went pouting into the dressing room, to try on another one.
"Spike," Buffy said, "you have to chill out. Dawn is a big girl. Not a GROWN girl, but she is fifteen. She's gonna be dating, and getting asked to dances... and you have to let her go, and change, and grow up."
"Fine," he snarled, "but I'll not be lettin her go like a hooker to her first dance."
She sighed. "All right... whatever. But-"
Dawn squealed from the dressing room. "THIS IS IT!!!!! Ohhhh, Buffy... I love it. Please... Make Spike go away."
"I'm not going anywhere. Now get out here so I can see you in the latest 'Pretty Woman'-reject dress."
She stepped out of the room, and smiled. The dress was beautiful. It was red with a black overlay, giving it a maroon appearance. spaghetti strapped, and seamed under the bust in an A-line design, it was simple, elegant, and demure. Even Spike approved.
Buffy nodded at her, saying quietly, "You look... gorgeous. You're gonna show up every girl there. Now go change, so we can get it. Hand it out when your done."
Changing, and handing the gown out to Buffy, Dawn didn't hear her defeated sigh.
"Wha's wrong?" Spike asked in a conference voice.
"It's $130. I can't... I don't..."
Dawn stepped out. "Ready?"
"Yeah. Dawnie, I forgot money... So, we're gonna put this on hold, and we'll come back and get it in a couple of days. Ok?"
"It'll still be there?"
"Absolutely. We'll tell them to put it in the back with a tag so no one else will buy it."
She nodded, completely unaware. "Ok."
After putting Dawn to bed, Buffy walked to Spike's, staking two vampire fledglings absentmindedly. Standing at the threshold, she didn't knock. Just stood until the door swung open, revealing Spike, wearing nothing but a pair of unbuttoned jeans. She fell into his arms sobbing.
"I can't get it for her. I can't afford it. I can't do it, Spike... I reworked my budget three times. I cannot afford her dress. I can't even get a second job to cover it."
He rubbed her back in soothing circles. "It's ok, luv. Niblet will understand... it's expensive, and-"
"No!" She jerked back, tears still streaming, but anger in her eyes. "She's been so... angry with me. I can make her happy, just a little bit more. None of my dances were good, or very much fun. I want this... I want her first one, at least, to be perfect. From her dress, to her hair, and shoes. She has the perfect date." Her bottom lip trembled. "But I can't get her the perfect dress. I can't give her the mom she needs, the sister she wants, the normalcy she deserves... nothing."
"That's enough." Spike shook her. "Enough. You hear me? We're getting her the damn dress. You're a DAMN good sister. She's just being a pissy little bitch lately for who-knows-what reason right now. You do the best you bloody well can, and don't EVEN blame yourself for your mother. She'd kick my ass for letting you. Now... we'll think of something. All right? She still has a few weeks. Just... promise me something?"
"What?" Her eyes were watering, but she was containing herself.
"Let it be, and I'll take care of it."
"Spike. I want to get it for... "
"You will... Just... trust me? For three days? That's how long we have right?"
"Yeah... All right... But what if-"
"No, Slayer," he said sonorously. "Let it go."
Coming home two days later from a double shift at work, feeling doubly gross, and doubly irritable, Buffy was less than happy at the bundle of cosmic energy wrapped around her neck crying.
"*What* is the matter, Dawn?" She said as un-irritable as possible.
"Thank you. You picked it up. Oh, man, Buffy. I..." She laughed and cried into Buffy's newly short and greasy hair. "I have my dress. It's perfect, and I... I love it."
Bittersweetly smiling, she ruffled Dawn's hair, hugging her back. "I'm glad."
Dawn stood in front of her, head bowed, hands clasped in front of her. "Buffy?"
"What?" She wanted a shower.... so badly... she could just feel it pelting the grease off her... scenting her with her coconut shampoo... But Dawn *had* to pick today to talk.
"I... I know I've been a big bitch. And pushing you away. In... in fact, I talked to Spike about it. He was really quiet the whole time. I could tell he was disappointed in me... But I'm sorry, Buffy... I'm just so scared your gonna go away again... So I thought... if you weren't..."
"If I wasn't what, Dawnie?"
She kept her eyes on the hall rug. It was less than a Hall-Mark moment. Buffy was gross from work, and there was zero physical contact, and this had to be the most awkward moment in recent memory. "If I kept you out... it wouldn't hurt when you left. 'Cuz I know you want to... Go back there. To the nice place."
Buffy frowned, grabbing Dawn's shoulder's, shaking her much like Spike had. "You look at me. Look me in the eye."
Dawn did as ordered, surprised to see tears glistening in her big sister's eyes.
"I love you, Dawnie. Yeah, I wanna go back to the nice place. But not for a long time. Not that it isn't hard sometimes... Ok, a lot. But there is so much we have to do. We have to... get you ready for Prom, and Homecoming, and senior pictures. And.. I have to help you through your first breakup with lots of ice cream and man-hater movies. And I have to tell you I love you as much as possible. And you have to be an annoying teenager. And I have to be your sister. 'Cuz we're family. And I need you as much as you need me. So cut the attitude. You aren't EVER going to push me away." Tears spilled down her cheeks, and the sister's embraced.
The figure on the sidewalk toed out his cigarette, smiling, his own tears shimmering in the moonlight as a tentative truce was reached, and walked home when the door closed.
End, Chapter Two.
WHEW!!! Sorry. That wasn't as happy as I wanted it to be. NOT TO WORRY!! BETTER FUNNY THINGS TO COME!!!!! Who is this Andrew wanker, you might be asking. Well, stay tuned to find out. Any ideas, or plot lines would be SOOO appreciated. Not kidding. And review, or this goes nowhere, and Spike stays chained to my bed post. hehehe...
Tequila Sunrise
Pulling into the mall only seconds after sunset, Spike stepped out of the De Soto reluctantly. Dress shopping. Really. Did he REALLY need to bleedin' be here?
"Spike!!" He heard Dawn cry from fifty yards away and come running for him.
He smiled at her jubilant expression at she launched herself into his arms. 'Yup,' he thought, 'Completely necessary... Cuz she asked.'
"Come on!" She said excitedly. "The mall closes in THREE hours. We better get crackin'."
Had he been human, he would have blanched. Three hours? He thought... find a pretty dress, grab it, leave. End of story.
He didn't even know the story. As Dawn stepped out of the dressing room of the 12th store in a deep green strapless sheath dress, he yelped, standing in front of her, his duster thrown out on both sides. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING!? THERE ARE BOYS IN THIS STORE, AND I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GO FIND THE REST OF THAT DRESS IN THAT OVER STUFFED CHANGING ROOM!"
Dawn laughed and slipped under his arm to spin for Buffy. The hint of cleavage almost had him vamping out and panting for unnecessary breaths.
"Slayer... You let that sweet innocent get that dress, and damn the chip, I kill the sales clerk that lets you buy it."
Buffy whispered to Dawn for a moment, and she went pouting into the dressing room, to try on another one.
"Spike," Buffy said, "you have to chill out. Dawn is a big girl. Not a GROWN girl, but she is fifteen. She's gonna be dating, and getting asked to dances... and you have to let her go, and change, and grow up."
"Fine," he snarled, "but I'll not be lettin her go like a hooker to her first dance."
She sighed. "All right... whatever. But-"
Dawn squealed from the dressing room. "THIS IS IT!!!!! Ohhhh, Buffy... I love it. Please... Make Spike go away."
"I'm not going anywhere. Now get out here so I can see you in the latest 'Pretty Woman'-reject dress."
She stepped out of the room, and smiled. The dress was beautiful. It was red with a black overlay, giving it a maroon appearance. spaghetti strapped, and seamed under the bust in an A-line design, it was simple, elegant, and demure. Even Spike approved.
Buffy nodded at her, saying quietly, "You look... gorgeous. You're gonna show up every girl there. Now go change, so we can get it. Hand it out when your done."
Changing, and handing the gown out to Buffy, Dawn didn't hear her defeated sigh.
"Wha's wrong?" Spike asked in a conference voice.
"It's $130. I can't... I don't..."
Dawn stepped out. "Ready?"
"Yeah. Dawnie, I forgot money... So, we're gonna put this on hold, and we'll come back and get it in a couple of days. Ok?"
"It'll still be there?"
"Absolutely. We'll tell them to put it in the back with a tag so no one else will buy it."
She nodded, completely unaware. "Ok."
After putting Dawn to bed, Buffy walked to Spike's, staking two vampire fledglings absentmindedly. Standing at the threshold, she didn't knock. Just stood until the door swung open, revealing Spike, wearing nothing but a pair of unbuttoned jeans. She fell into his arms sobbing.
"I can't get it for her. I can't afford it. I can't do it, Spike... I reworked my budget three times. I cannot afford her dress. I can't even get a second job to cover it."
He rubbed her back in soothing circles. "It's ok, luv. Niblet will understand... it's expensive, and-"
"No!" She jerked back, tears still streaming, but anger in her eyes. "She's been so... angry with me. I can make her happy, just a little bit more. None of my dances were good, or very much fun. I want this... I want her first one, at least, to be perfect. From her dress, to her hair, and shoes. She has the perfect date." Her bottom lip trembled. "But I can't get her the perfect dress. I can't give her the mom she needs, the sister she wants, the normalcy she deserves... nothing."
"That's enough." Spike shook her. "Enough. You hear me? We're getting her the damn dress. You're a DAMN good sister. She's just being a pissy little bitch lately for who-knows-what reason right now. You do the best you bloody well can, and don't EVEN blame yourself for your mother. She'd kick my ass for letting you. Now... we'll think of something. All right? She still has a few weeks. Just... promise me something?"
"What?" Her eyes were watering, but she was containing herself.
"Let it be, and I'll take care of it."
"Spike. I want to get it for... "
"You will... Just... trust me? For three days? That's how long we have right?"
"Yeah... All right... But what if-"
"No, Slayer," he said sonorously. "Let it go."
Coming home two days later from a double shift at work, feeling doubly gross, and doubly irritable, Buffy was less than happy at the bundle of cosmic energy wrapped around her neck crying.
"*What* is the matter, Dawn?" She said as un-irritable as possible.
"Thank you. You picked it up. Oh, man, Buffy. I..." She laughed and cried into Buffy's newly short and greasy hair. "I have my dress. It's perfect, and I... I love it."
Bittersweetly smiling, she ruffled Dawn's hair, hugging her back. "I'm glad."
Dawn stood in front of her, head bowed, hands clasped in front of her. "Buffy?"
"What?" She wanted a shower.... so badly... she could just feel it pelting the grease off her... scenting her with her coconut shampoo... But Dawn *had* to pick today to talk.
"I... I know I've been a big bitch. And pushing you away. In... in fact, I talked to Spike about it. He was really quiet the whole time. I could tell he was disappointed in me... But I'm sorry, Buffy... I'm just so scared your gonna go away again... So I thought... if you weren't..."
"If I wasn't what, Dawnie?"
She kept her eyes on the hall rug. It was less than a Hall-Mark moment. Buffy was gross from work, and there was zero physical contact, and this had to be the most awkward moment in recent memory. "If I kept you out... it wouldn't hurt when you left. 'Cuz I know you want to... Go back there. To the nice place."
Buffy frowned, grabbing Dawn's shoulder's, shaking her much like Spike had. "You look at me. Look me in the eye."
Dawn did as ordered, surprised to see tears glistening in her big sister's eyes.
"I love you, Dawnie. Yeah, I wanna go back to the nice place. But not for a long time. Not that it isn't hard sometimes... Ok, a lot. But there is so much we have to do. We have to... get you ready for Prom, and Homecoming, and senior pictures. And.. I have to help you through your first breakup with lots of ice cream and man-hater movies. And I have to tell you I love you as much as possible. And you have to be an annoying teenager. And I have to be your sister. 'Cuz we're family. And I need you as much as you need me. So cut the attitude. You aren't EVER going to push me away." Tears spilled down her cheeks, and the sister's embraced.
The figure on the sidewalk toed out his cigarette, smiling, his own tears shimmering in the moonlight as a tentative truce was reached, and walked home when the door closed.
End, Chapter Two.
WHEW!!! Sorry. That wasn't as happy as I wanted it to be. NOT TO WORRY!! BETTER FUNNY THINGS TO COME!!!!! Who is this Andrew wanker, you might be asking. Well, stay tuned to find out. Any ideas, or plot lines would be SOOO appreciated. Not kidding. And review, or this goes nowhere, and Spike stays chained to my bed post. hehehe...
Tequila Sunrise