Chapter Three: The Gift
****** Spike entered the doors cursing under his breath. It hadn't even taken five minutes before he regretted going. All the stores in one place, made him feel a bit off-balance. So many options to chose from, especially when he didn't know what to get her. What do you get a vampire slayer? Spike certainly couldn't buy her stakes, axes, or weapons. They'd ask for identification and he really didn't want to get her anything that reminded her of her duty. He wanted something that reminded Buffy that she was a young woman, a young woman whom was loved.
Dawn watched Spike, as he went from isle to isle, store to store, not finding anything. Dawn saw the discomfort his body was trying hard to hide. Was it the mall? Or was it because he was trying to find Buffy the perfect gift? Something that he could never possibly give her.
*He's worse than a girl with too much money on her hands!!* Dawn thought.
*Bloody hell, this place is the worst torture!* Spike grumbled to himself.
"Spike, did you find anything yet?" Dawn asked walking up to him. The truth was, Dawn was having trouble also. She wanted to get Buffy something that mattered that came from the heart.
He looked down at the young girl, who in all actuality was getting just as tall as he was. Just a few more inches and she'd be right up there with him. Another way, in which the two ladies in his life differed. Spike smiled at the thought of Buffy. If only they could be together without her friends giving her slack and making her feel guilty.
"Bloody hell, this place is for the birds. Too many stores with too many annoying people," Spike grumbled.
"Too many stores? Or too many indecisions on your part?" Dawn smirked, knowing she was right.
Spike shot her a look. "Bit sometimes you're too smart for your own good."
"Thanks." she hesitated. "I think."
"Wha' about you? Did you find anything yet?"
"No, not really. I could buy her a CD, but I don't really think she needs another one right now. There's always clothes, but you've seen her wardrobe, she already has too many!"
"That's true," Spike smiled.
"Oh, I've got it!" Dawn exclaimed. "I just remembered! Buffy loves this picture of Mom, her and me. I could put it in a locket! I can have it engraved too!"
"Slow down, Bit. There's no need to rush," Spike said trying to calm her.
Dawn was so excited she started jumping up and down. She grabbed Spike's hand and started pulling him down the mall towards one of the many jewelry stores.
***
After thirty minutes of looking, at what to Spike, were the lame lockets, Dawn had seemed to find something she liked. In fact, there were only about six or seven different styles, so he didn't understand why it had taken her so long. There were gold, silver and platinum lockets, some had a combination, and some had roses, "I love you", or swirly patterns carven onto the metal. Dawn wanted everything to be absolutely perfect after what happened last year on Buffy's birthday. She shuddered at the memories.
"So, Bit," Spike stated, getting her attention. "Find anything that tickles your fancy?"
"Tickles my fancy?" Dawn asked a bit confused. Then it dawned on her. "Oh, um yeah a few. I just want it to be perfect, y'know with a capital 'P'."
"I know you do Platelet and it will be."
Dawn smiled. "Okay, this one!"
"Miss, have you found something you like yet?" the middle-aged sales woman asked full of smiles.
"Yeah, finally. I'll take that one," Dawn said pointing to the one she wanted.
"Very good choice. This one is platinum and gold. Best thing is, is that it's on sale."
"Even better," Dawn smiled. "Um, can this be engraved.here?"
"Yes, of course. If you come this way, I'll get you the form," she gestured for the pair to follow her. "Ok, write what you want right here, then fill out your name and phone number."
"Oh, do I have to give my phone number, this is a present and."
"Oh sure, I understand. Does your father here have a business number we could reach him at?"
Dawn's eyes widened and her mouth formed a small smile. "Oh, he's not my father," Dawn corrected her politely.
"Oh, I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have assumed," she apologized. "Here's the form."
*Cause assuming would make an ass out of you and me!* Dawn smirked to herself, remembering when she has told Willow that. "Really, it's no problem." After filling out the form she asked, "How much for the locket and the engraving? And when can I pick it up?"
"Forty-five grand total. You're lucky you came in today and not yesterday, because we're having our special today: $5 on all engravings, no matter how long it is. About a half hour and it should be ready, if not you can always come back tomorrow to pick it up."
When the woman turned around to take the locket back to the engraving machine, Spike turned to Dawn and asked: "Bit, you have enough cash?"
"Yeah, I have $50, so I'll have enough to get a card too."
"Alright, Luv, just makin' sure." Spike turned around and walked over to the ring displays. *If only you could love me like I love you. If I hadn't ruined everything. We could be so bloody perfect together.* Spike was pulled out of his thoughts by Dawn's voice.
"Hey, whatcha doin?"
"Nothin'."
When Spike didn't look around Dawn asked: "Hey, you alright? You have that look on your face again."
"Wha'? Wha' look?" he asked, eyes still on the rings thinking about Buffy.
"The same far-off look you usually get when you're thinking about the two of you!" Then she paused after thinking. "Y'know, it'd be kewl if you two could get married."
"What?" he clearly spoke.
"Yeah, y'know if there was time to even think about it, or even do it, it'd be great." Dawn squeezed his hand a little.
Spike agreed whole-heartedly and smiled at her innocence. "Bit, Buffy'd never marry me, even if I wanted too. We'd never work, we're too different."
"Spike, you don't give yourself enough credit."
"Oh, I give myself enough credit alright. Enough to know I'd be a fool if I ever asked."
***
An hour lager, the pair made their way home. Dawn was so excited, she could barely contain it. Spike on the other hand, was mere moments away from brooding. Dawn went on and on about how she had to find the picture and have it shrunk down by one of those Kodak picture machines at Wal-Mart. Spike felt her poke his arm.
"Wha' now, Bit?"
"Tomorrow, can you take me on your bike to have it done? We can do it while Buffy's at work or out."
"Yeah, we could." he paused, "If you'd like to ride with a pile of dust."
"Oops! Sorry, I guess I'm not thinking," she smiled. "So, did you figure out what you're getting her? Or how we're going to do this?"
"No, not yet. Don't worry just leave that up to me. This will be one plan I actually think through!" he smiled.
"Okay." Dawn smiled. "Hey, can you put this in a safe place for me? I don't want any wandering fingers to find it!"
"Yeah, sure." Spike took the box from Dawn and slipped it into his duster pocket. "It'll be safe."
"Thanks, Spike!" Dawn walked up the steps and opened the door. "Hey, guys! We're home."
A/N: Sorry, it's taken so long to get this chapter out!! I've been out of town and working a lot and haven't had the time to type it out! I've gotten a few suggestions on what Spike should get Buffy for her birthday. I'm working on that now! I hope to have Chapter 4 up sooner than this one!!! Thanks for reading!
****** Spike entered the doors cursing under his breath. It hadn't even taken five minutes before he regretted going. All the stores in one place, made him feel a bit off-balance. So many options to chose from, especially when he didn't know what to get her. What do you get a vampire slayer? Spike certainly couldn't buy her stakes, axes, or weapons. They'd ask for identification and he really didn't want to get her anything that reminded her of her duty. He wanted something that reminded Buffy that she was a young woman, a young woman whom was loved.
Dawn watched Spike, as he went from isle to isle, store to store, not finding anything. Dawn saw the discomfort his body was trying hard to hide. Was it the mall? Or was it because he was trying to find Buffy the perfect gift? Something that he could never possibly give her.
*He's worse than a girl with too much money on her hands!!* Dawn thought.
*Bloody hell, this place is the worst torture!* Spike grumbled to himself.
"Spike, did you find anything yet?" Dawn asked walking up to him. The truth was, Dawn was having trouble also. She wanted to get Buffy something that mattered that came from the heart.
He looked down at the young girl, who in all actuality was getting just as tall as he was. Just a few more inches and she'd be right up there with him. Another way, in which the two ladies in his life differed. Spike smiled at the thought of Buffy. If only they could be together without her friends giving her slack and making her feel guilty.
"Bloody hell, this place is for the birds. Too many stores with too many annoying people," Spike grumbled.
"Too many stores? Or too many indecisions on your part?" Dawn smirked, knowing she was right.
Spike shot her a look. "Bit sometimes you're too smart for your own good."
"Thanks." she hesitated. "I think."
"Wha' about you? Did you find anything yet?"
"No, not really. I could buy her a CD, but I don't really think she needs another one right now. There's always clothes, but you've seen her wardrobe, she already has too many!"
"That's true," Spike smiled.
"Oh, I've got it!" Dawn exclaimed. "I just remembered! Buffy loves this picture of Mom, her and me. I could put it in a locket! I can have it engraved too!"
"Slow down, Bit. There's no need to rush," Spike said trying to calm her.
Dawn was so excited she started jumping up and down. She grabbed Spike's hand and started pulling him down the mall towards one of the many jewelry stores.
***
After thirty minutes of looking, at what to Spike, were the lame lockets, Dawn had seemed to find something she liked. In fact, there were only about six or seven different styles, so he didn't understand why it had taken her so long. There were gold, silver and platinum lockets, some had a combination, and some had roses, "I love you", or swirly patterns carven onto the metal. Dawn wanted everything to be absolutely perfect after what happened last year on Buffy's birthday. She shuddered at the memories.
"So, Bit," Spike stated, getting her attention. "Find anything that tickles your fancy?"
"Tickles my fancy?" Dawn asked a bit confused. Then it dawned on her. "Oh, um yeah a few. I just want it to be perfect, y'know with a capital 'P'."
"I know you do Platelet and it will be."
Dawn smiled. "Okay, this one!"
"Miss, have you found something you like yet?" the middle-aged sales woman asked full of smiles.
"Yeah, finally. I'll take that one," Dawn said pointing to the one she wanted.
"Very good choice. This one is platinum and gold. Best thing is, is that it's on sale."
"Even better," Dawn smiled. "Um, can this be engraved.here?"
"Yes, of course. If you come this way, I'll get you the form," she gestured for the pair to follow her. "Ok, write what you want right here, then fill out your name and phone number."
"Oh, do I have to give my phone number, this is a present and."
"Oh sure, I understand. Does your father here have a business number we could reach him at?"
Dawn's eyes widened and her mouth formed a small smile. "Oh, he's not my father," Dawn corrected her politely.
"Oh, I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have assumed," she apologized. "Here's the form."
*Cause assuming would make an ass out of you and me!* Dawn smirked to herself, remembering when she has told Willow that. "Really, it's no problem." After filling out the form she asked, "How much for the locket and the engraving? And when can I pick it up?"
"Forty-five grand total. You're lucky you came in today and not yesterday, because we're having our special today: $5 on all engravings, no matter how long it is. About a half hour and it should be ready, if not you can always come back tomorrow to pick it up."
When the woman turned around to take the locket back to the engraving machine, Spike turned to Dawn and asked: "Bit, you have enough cash?"
"Yeah, I have $50, so I'll have enough to get a card too."
"Alright, Luv, just makin' sure." Spike turned around and walked over to the ring displays. *If only you could love me like I love you. If I hadn't ruined everything. We could be so bloody perfect together.* Spike was pulled out of his thoughts by Dawn's voice.
"Hey, whatcha doin?"
"Nothin'."
When Spike didn't look around Dawn asked: "Hey, you alright? You have that look on your face again."
"Wha'? Wha' look?" he asked, eyes still on the rings thinking about Buffy.
"The same far-off look you usually get when you're thinking about the two of you!" Then she paused after thinking. "Y'know, it'd be kewl if you two could get married."
"What?" he clearly spoke.
"Yeah, y'know if there was time to even think about it, or even do it, it'd be great." Dawn squeezed his hand a little.
Spike agreed whole-heartedly and smiled at her innocence. "Bit, Buffy'd never marry me, even if I wanted too. We'd never work, we're too different."
"Spike, you don't give yourself enough credit."
"Oh, I give myself enough credit alright. Enough to know I'd be a fool if I ever asked."
***
An hour lager, the pair made their way home. Dawn was so excited, she could barely contain it. Spike on the other hand, was mere moments away from brooding. Dawn went on and on about how she had to find the picture and have it shrunk down by one of those Kodak picture machines at Wal-Mart. Spike felt her poke his arm.
"Wha' now, Bit?"
"Tomorrow, can you take me on your bike to have it done? We can do it while Buffy's at work or out."
"Yeah, we could." he paused, "If you'd like to ride with a pile of dust."
"Oops! Sorry, I guess I'm not thinking," she smiled. "So, did you figure out what you're getting her? Or how we're going to do this?"
"No, not yet. Don't worry just leave that up to me. This will be one plan I actually think through!" he smiled.
"Okay." Dawn smiled. "Hey, can you put this in a safe place for me? I don't want any wandering fingers to find it!"
"Yeah, sure." Spike took the box from Dawn and slipped it into his duster pocket. "It'll be safe."
"Thanks, Spike!" Dawn walked up the steps and opened the door. "Hey, guys! We're home."
A/N: Sorry, it's taken so long to get this chapter out!! I've been out of town and working a lot and haven't had the time to type it out! I've gotten a few suggestions on what Spike should get Buffy for her birthday. I'm working on that now! I hope to have Chapter 4 up sooner than this one!!! Thanks for reading!